I love summer as much as the next person and planning ahead for a great summer vacation means having everything you need to make it as enjoyable and as relaxing as possible. This means that you have everything from that waterproof tablet case to the perfect bathing suits picked out along with all the plans you need to ensure your trip can go off without a hitch. Gearing up for summer vacation is about planning to relax as well. Here are some essentials so you can get the most out of your summer vacation plans.
Invest in Great Sandals
Let’s face it, when you go from the hotel to the beach to shopping you don’t want to be messing with changing out shoes and carrying too much with you. But we know that those dollar store sandals are uncomfortable at best and painful at worst when they are on your feet for too long. Your best bet is to invest in something like orthopedic sandals for women, men, and children. These kinds of sandals provide the support you need to go from walking on the beach to walking around town without you needing to change shoes just to be comfortable.
Make Sure Everything Fits Well in Advance
No one wants to be scrambling to get bathing suits, shorts, shoes, and other items right before they are supposed to be leaving on vacation. When you have a trip planned weeks or months in advance, give yourself more time to get what you need. Have your kids try on their swimsuits from last year. Put yours on to make it fits as well. You may have gained or lost weight which means that either way it would be time for a new bathing suit.
Try on your summery tops, bottoms, and dresses that you might want to take with you. Don’t make the mistake of checking this when you are packing your suitcases to go. Not only will it leave you stressed, you might also end up paying a premium to get what you need at your destination.
Flexible Plans
You need to book things like hotels and excursions in advance. But the rest of your time on vacation can be a mix of planned and spontaneous activities. Learn everything you can about your vacation destination. What options are available? Do you need reservations? Discover the most popular things in the area so you know what to expect. Like when you’re traveling to places like Bakersfield, California, they have trails, parks, and art museums that can all be incorporated into a spontaneous activity. Some people love to overschedule their trips, but this can be more stressful. Create a trip plan in advance with some must-dos and a few maybe-dos. You’ll want flexibility to hang out longer at the pool or the beach if that’s what everyone is enjoying on the trip.
Healthy Boundaries With Work
Because everyone is connected all the time, employers seem to have no problem contacting their employees when they are out of the office with those “quick questions”. It’s best to set a healthy boundary that says you won’t even open those emails or respond to those texts. Create an out-of-office message that gives instructions on whom they should contact instead of you. If they continue to harass you outside of work, when you are on vacation, block their phone number for the duration of the trip. If you don’t set those boundaries, no one will. It will give your employer the idea that even when you aren’t at work, you are available for their needs.
Something For Self-Care
When you’re a parent, it feels like all your needs fall to the wayside to make sure that your kids have fun and that they enjoy their time. But what about you? Self-care can look like anything from bringing a new book with you to read to renting a movie in the hotel room after the kids go to sleep. Self-care is simply about giving yourself room to have needs and wants and finding little ways to meet them, even on a family vacation that’s all about everyone else. Bring along a little something to help you relax because let’s face it, this is your vacation too.
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