Vacations are usually an opportunity to unwind and relax… except when they aren’t.
And although this is an aspect that we overlook, The holiday period is not free of elements capable of stressing useven though in theory we have many fewer obligations and responsibilities linked to the professional.
In this article we will see which are the most important of all those sources of anxiety and stress during the holidays.
Main triggers of anxiety and stress during the holidays
If something characterizes vacations, it is precisely the variety of forms that they can take, because the free time that we have during those days adapts to all types of preferences without us being limited by the constraints of the work context.
However, if we focus on stress-generating vacation experiences, we can group them into several categories or types that are relatively common. Here we will review the most important ones.
1. Frustration and indecision due to not knowing what to do
Something as simple as having doubts about what to spend your vacation days on is in itself a source of stress.. To this we must add the social pressure to have a fantastic vacation, one that is original or out of the norm, making this compatible with the budget we have.
This problem can lead many people to believe that they are “wasting their time” if they do not go on a trip to an exotic country or one that is very different from their own, for example, and that they must keep up with what their friends and acquaintances do ( which in turn has been filtered and idealized through the use of social networks such as Instagram or Facebook).
2. Coordination and planning problems
Planning trips and family gatherings, holding get-togethers when everyone is doing well, managing unforeseen events such as canceled flights or lost suitcases… These logistical and seemingly banal aspects can become an anxiety bomb..
3. Problems disconnecting from work
Many people have trouble stopping thinking about their projects and work responsibilities. Despite not performing their usual tasks, they experience a kind of psychological inertia which leads them to believe that they must prepare to work, or not stop monitoring what they have been achieving during the previous months.
Luckily, stopping using your work cell phone, not checking your email inbox, and traveling to new places goes a long way toward nipping exposure to stimuli that makes us think about our professional side.
4. Jet lag
The jet lag caused by flights to distant countries gives rise to a series of physical alterations, among which is a greater predisposition to suffer stress. This phenomenon lasts several hours, but usually fades on its own. as the body is exposed to a new pattern of activity and exposure to sunlight.
5. Lack of quality sleep
In a similar way to what happens with jet lag, The disruption of schedules associated with having a lot of free time usually leads to excess anxiety due to lack of sleep.. To prevent this from happening, it is important not to stop following certain schedules even if we are not forced to follow them due to the need to go to work during certain hours of the day. Additionally, when we go to sleep shouldn’t change much depending on what day of the week it is.
Entering a new dynamic of what to do on a daily basis can cause some families and couples to argue about what responsibilities each person should do. This happens because on vacation we lose the references and “routines” that have been in place during the rest of the year.
The best way to avoid this type of inconvenience is to plan in advance how the tasks will be distributed, assuming that stopping work goes hand in hand with new opportunities to help the rest of the family.
7. Fatigue from raising and caring for children
Since during the holidays families with small children must face all kinds of new situations while caring for and educating them (since they spend all hours of the day with them, not going to school), this can trigger stress problems easily.
This occurs especially in families that are very attached to gender roles.since the responsibility for caring for the little ones in the house is usually assigned unequally, harming women.
You may be interested: “The 6 main problems of new parents”
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