Have you ever been excited for a vacation and then started to lose energy partway through your trip? This happens to a lot of us because we don’t know how to manage our energy well or because taking vacations can sometimes be draining. Here are some ideas to boost your energy levels when you’re on vacation and you wish to experience more while you are traveling.
Do Little the First Day
That first day of traveling is probably one of the most exciting ones, since you’ll likely be spending part of the day in a new place. However, you have to take into account that you will likely have been traveling for several hours to get to your destination. You might not have much energy when you get there, especially if you’re in your late 30s or older. At that point in your life, it can be tough to keep up your energy levels, particularly during the evening.
Our suggestion is that you plan some very light activity or no activity for that first day. Try limiting yourself to simply going out to eat or ordering in at your hotel. Give yourself time to relax after hours of travel so that you have more energy the next day. You’ll find that if you do this, you’ll feel refreshed and energized the following morning rather than drained.
Make Your Plans Flexible
There are probably tons of things you want to see and do while you’re traveling, but you may find it difficult to fit everything into each day. Try to limit yourself to just one or two activities a day, and then be prepared to be flexible on some of those things. If you have reserved and scheduled every last activity on your itinerary, you will feel like you have to do them whether you have the energy for it or not. Try to limit how many things you are reserving and scheduling ahead of time. Give your body a chance to rest and recuperate when it needs to.
Keep in mind that higher altitudes and hotter weather can make you feel drained more quickly than you’re used to. You will also probably be very active when you’re traveling, so take that into account and the effect it will have on your energy levels.
Skip the Cleaning
You probably want everything to be perfect for when you come back home, with the house cleaned and everything in order. While that is a nice thought, you can wear yourself out before your vacation by doing too much work ahead of time. It may be better simply to focus on the essentials, cleaning only what’s absolutely necessary so that there’s not an unpleasant smell when you come back home. You definitely want to take out all the trash and wash the dishes before leaving, but some of the other chores can probably wait.
If you feel the need to have your house perfectly cleaned before you leave on vacation, though, you can use an experienced maid service to do it for you. By having someone else take care of this task, you’ll have a lot more energy for the things you really want to do during your travels. If you can’t schedule cleaning before your trip because of all the things that have to be done to prepare, you can always schedule cleaning for when you get back, leaving that to the professionals too so that you can rest up and recover from your vacation.
Start Your Mornings Right
If you’re going to have energy for all the things you want to do on vacation, it is important that you start the morning properly. Take time to get that coffee or caffeinated tea that will give you a boost of energy for a few hours. If you’re a regular coffee drinker, don’t skip this part of the day, even if it can be a little difficult to find decent coffee some mornings.
Give yourself time to sleep in as well, because if you rush to start your vacation activities each day, you will probably be exhausted by lunchtime.
Eat a Light Lunch
When you’re traveling, you probably feel the urge to experience all the food you don’t normally get to try. There’s nothing wrong with that, but you do want to be careful about eating too much in the middle of the day. This tends to be the hottest part of the day, and overeating during lunchtime can make you feel sleepy and sap your energy.
Experts say if you eat foods that are high in protein and carbohydrates, you’re more likely to feel tired afterwards. So, you need to pay attention to how much you’re eating and what you are eating if you want to have energy for the rest of the day.
Don’t Shirk the Exercise
If you are someone who is used to hitting the gym and exercising regularly, you don’t want to skip all that during your vacation. Missing out on your regular workout can lower your energy levels. You might want to reduce the intensity or duration of your workout while you’re on vacation, but it’s not a good idea to skip it entirely. If your hotel doesn’t have a gym you can use, maybe it has a pool you can do a few laps in. If all else fails, take a walk around the block or go up and down the stairs a few times. This will boost your energy levels, getting your heart working a little faster and supplying energy to make you feel more powerful and alert.
Rest during the Hottest Times
We mentioned already that heat can drain your energy, and there is a reason that Latin countries tend to take a midday siesta. In the hottest part of the day, it’s advisable to seek some shade and stay out of the sun. You will have more energy for the rest of the day. You may even want to take a little nap at this time so that you can do more in the evening.
