Top 7 sources of vacation anxiety

These are the quintessential stress and anxiety triggers during the vacation period.

Vacations are usually an opportunity to disconnect and relax... except when they are not.

And although this is an aspect that we overlook, the holiday period is not free of stress and anxiety, the holiday period is not free of elements capable of stressing us out, no matter how much we theoretically have a lot of stress.even though in theory we have far fewer professional obligations and responsibilities.

In this article we will see which are the most important of all these sources of anxiety and stress during the holidays. sources of anxiety and stress during the vacations.

Main triggers of anxiety and stress during the vacations

If there is one thing that characterizes a vacation, it is precisely the variety of forms it can take, because the free time available during those days can be adapted to all kinds of preferences without being limited by the constraints of the work context.

However, if we focus on stress-generating holiday 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 about not knowing what to do

Something as simple as having doubts about what to spend your vacation days doing is in itself a source of stress.. To this we must add the social pressure to have a fantastic vacation that is original or out of the norm, making it compatible with the budget we have available.

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 or very different country from their own, for example, and that they must keep up with what their friends and acquaintances are doing (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 flight cancellations or lost luggage... These logistical and seemingly trivial aspects can become an anxiety bomb..

3. Problems disconnecting from work

Many people have problems to stop thinking about their work projects and responsibilities. Despite not performing their usual tasks, they experience a kind of psychological inertia that leads them to believe that they must get ready for work, or else keep track of what they have been accomplishing during the previous months. that leads them to believe that they must get ready for work, or else not stop monitoring what they have been accomplishing during the previous months.

Fortunately, stopping using the work cell phone, not checking the email inbox and traveling to new places helps a lot to nip in the bud the exposure to stimuli that makes us think about our professional side.

4. Jet lag

The jet lag produced 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 for several hours, but usually fades away 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 jet lag, the disruption of schedules associated with having a lot of free time often leads to excessive 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 because of the need to go to work during certain hours of the day. In addition, the moment in which we go to sleep should not change much depending on what day of the week we are.

6. Conflicts over the division of tasks

Entering into a new dynamic of what to do during the day can cause some families and couples to argue about what responsibilities each 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 distribution of tasks will be, assuming that leaving work goes hand in hand with new opportunities to help the rest of the family..

7. Parenting and childcare fatigue

As families with young children have to cope with all kinds of new situations during the vacations while caring for and raising them (since they spend all hours of the day with them, as they do not go to school), this can easily trigger stress problems.

This is especially true in families that are very attached to gender roles.The responsibility of caring for the little ones in the house is usually assigned in an unequal way, to the detriment of women.

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