I wouldn’t trade my lifestyle for anything — how many people of my age and income bracket travel around the world for months at a time? But let’s face it: Travel is exhausting, particularly when you’re trying to run a successful travel blog on the go.
If you want to travel over the long haul, you need to develop skills for coping with travel fatigue or, even better, avoiding it entirely. Allow me to share some of my favorite techniques with you.
1. Sleep
This might sound obvious, but with so many places to see, people to meet and things to do when you travel, it’s often hard to find time for sleep. I found it particularly hard when I was in Norway and Sweden recently, since the sun never sets in Scandinavia during the summer. My best advice? Go to bed early, rather than waking up late, so you don’t waste valuable travel time.
2. Relax and take a day off
Sometimes, you just need to take a vacation from your vacation. As a general rule, I allow myself 1-2 “nothing” days per month when I travel: No camera; no to-do list; and very limited Internet access. Think of it as an opportunity to recharge your batteries — you’ll more than compensate for your down time once you’re back to full power!
3. Be Spontaneous
While pre-planning certain aspects of your travel is a good idea — i.e. long flights, which increase in price the longer you wait — you should remember that itineraries are plans; you are not obligated to follow through on them. Finances permitting, don’t be afraid to change your plans, or even cancel them outright.
4. Spa it up
Rent out a private room, enjoy a fancy lunch or have a day at the spa. Travel is an accomplishment in and of itself; reward yourself for your hard work.
5. Your Words Become Your Actions
Watch your words, former British prime minister Margaret Thatcher is reputed to have said, for they become your actions. When someone you meet asks you how you’re doing, do not complain about how tired you are, no matter how dark the circles under your eyes are. You’re traveling the world — you’re doing just fine!
6. Stay in someone’s home
I plan to spend the next two weeks at my best friend Bianca’s home, just outside of Zürich, Switzerland. I’ve stayed here three times during our five years of friendship, and feel just as relaxed here as I would at home in Texas. Go someplace you feel comfortable and at peace and spend a couple weeks there. Particularly if you’ve got the urge to, you know, actually go home.
7. Reflect
For me, fatigue and sadness go hand in hand. A great way to forget your sorrows — and by proxy, your exhaustion — is to remind yourself of your joys. Look through your travel photos, chat with travel friends on Facebook and, whether you’ve got a blog or just a journal, read the words you’ve written. The happiness and gratitude you feel is sure to energize you!
Robert Schrader is a travel writer and photographer who’s been roaming the world independently since 2005, writing for publications such as “CNNGo” and “Shanghaiist” along the way. His blog, Leave Your Daily Hell, provides a mix of travel advice, destination guides and personal essays covering the more esoteric aspects of life as a traveler.
