Relaxing on your beach vacation—that sounds pretty simple, right? Well, that may not be the case for a lot of people. Research suggests that it can take several days, sometimes longer, to settle in and actually start feeling relaxed during your vacation time. If this resonates with you, then read on to find out how you can speed up that process and make the most of your well-deserved vacation days. An Ocean Isle Beach state of mind starts right here!

Make most of your vacation decisions ahead of time

Whenever possible, try to do most of your vacation-related decision making well in advance of your vacation. This will help you feel prepared, ready, and excited about what’s to come. Packing for your vacation, traveling to get there, and preparing to be away from home can make those days right before your vacation a little crazy. The more prepared you are, the easier it will be for you to relax when you arrive at your Ocean Isle Beach rental.

Allow for downtime

With the above being said, it’s also important to mention that you don’t want to overplan your vacation time and scheduled activities. That won’t be relaxing for you or anyone in your family. This is a vacation, after all, not a job. Free time gives you those moments of peace, relaxation, and mindfulness to do what you please, plus the added ability for spontaneity to do things outside your planned activities.

Unplug from the things that cause stress

Unplugging from the things that cause you stress in life looks different for everyone. Maybe you need to unplug from work emails, or social media, or the news. It will be very difficult to transition into a relaxing vacation if you’re not setting boundaries with yourself and others on what you’re going to allow to be part of your time away. It’s a very short amount of time in the big scheme of life, so protect your vacation time and space. You won’t regret it.

Stay within your budget

Without a doubt, money is the #1 cause of stress in American life, even more so than work, health, or family. The last thing you want to do is overspend on your vacation or worry about what bills will be awaiting you when you return home. Create a reasonable vacation budgetin advance (see #1 of this blog) and stick to it. Your wallet and your state of mind will thank you.

Choose a relaxation mindset (and do what’s actually relaxing for you)

Last but not least, relaxation is a choice. You can do things to help you get there, but most importantly you have to choose a relaxation mindset and make it a priority. That comes from focusing on all those things that you look forward to doing that are relaxing to you. Not everyone has the same idea of what is relaxing, so it’s a very personal choice to pursue those things that bring peace and calming to your life. Visualize yourself doing those things so that when you arrive in Ocean Isle Beach, you’re feeling excited and ready to enjoy them all.

Wishing you the best and most relaxing vacation yet!