Pack Up Your Troubles

Stress, stress, stress, more stress, work is crazy and your holiday is coming up. At this moment you have no idea how you are going to get finished up on time with the many, many loose ends to tie up.

You have no time to waste and no time for anything new at this stage with 5 days of work left, but you know you will get to the end of the week, having done all you can to leave your work in a state someone else can pick up. Leaving you to go and enjoy your holiday.

However, it is never that simple. Yes you can do all you can and leave things in a great place, however, once you walk out the door, your shoulders don’t just drop down and the huge exhale you did doesn’t just wipe out the stress you have felt over the weeks of getting to this point.

What can we do to help let go of the stress?

Think about all the clothes and accessories you need to pack. For some packing is a breeze, effortlessly putting in the right amount of clothes needed for the duration of the holiday. For others (like me) it is a case of hauling everything out you want to take and then folding or rolling it and working out from there what is needed. Packing it all as neatly or as jammed in as possible, before weighing and then taking everything out to start again.

As you pack, think about what you have achieved in the weeks leading up to going on your holiday. With each item going in, tick off something you have completed. Think of all your successes as well as the unreleased tension and worries of the week. Pack up your troubles, I know that may sound odd as really you don’t want to be taking them with you, but bear with me.

Once you are successfully packed, off you go to your destination. Once arrived unpacking your case begins. Open your suitcase and take a deep breath in and release. How are you feeling now? Still stressed? Still tense? Ok, so as you unpack each item, go slow or as slow as you can and with each item hung up or put away in a drawer, think about how much you deserve this time away and how you know it is an opportunity for rest and relaxation away from the crazy non-stop day to day.

Breathe slow and deep, trying to make your exhale longer than your inhale as you unpack, essentially unpack your worries and set them free. Your aim here is to let go of the build up of stress, anxiety and tension you have perhaps felt over the last few weeks. Shake out each piece of clothing you unpack and then at the end, shake your body and move. Releasing as much tension you can.

Your holiday is your chance to get away from it all. To let go of the day to day stresses you have had whilst working. This is your time to relax and enjoy, to make the most of the time spent away before you return and have to do it all again.

Each day of your vacation, I hope the tension eases as you realise you don’t need to be buzzing about here and there doing 10 things before you have even had breakfast. Take your time and really enjoy eating breakfast, sipping your tea and enjoying every last moment. These times don’t come around often.

It can take days to let go of the pace you have been working at before you truly begin to find yourself relaxing. So each day start your day off with slow deep breaths, thinking about where you are and focusing on dropping your shoulders, and enjoying every last second in your bliss.

If you are lying on a beach, close your eyes, listen to the waves crashing on the shore and feel the sun on your skin, heating it up. Breathe in and know this is your time and place and nothing else matters other than this moment. Just make sure you regularly apply sunscreen.

Wherever you are on holiday. Close your eyes and focus on it. Really try to notice the peacefulness and tranquillity. Nothing matters other than being relaxed and rejuvenated.

All too soon you will be back on the hamster wheel doing it all again. Saviour every moment you are away and try not to think about anything other than the moment or place you are currently in. Work isn’t there so focus on other things around you to truly enjoy your holiday and get the benefit of your time off.

Have a lovely holiday if you are away anytime soon. Remember you will never be on your deathbed wishing you spent more time at work. So focus on where you are in that moment rather than what has been and what’s to come.

Thank you for reading. Look after you and remember, you deserve to have time off, free from work and work thoughts.

Have a great week.

Love Emma xx