Get More Out of Vacation: 4 Promises to Make Before Your Next Trip
Whether your next vacation is in a foreign place with lots of exotic plans or somewhere a little closer to your own backyard, before you leave for your next trip, consider making these four promises to yourself. You just might find yourself not only enjoying your vacation more, but getting more out of it, too.
For your next trip, promise that you…
Won’t try to see everything
This is a tough one (and one that I fail at miserably). This could be your first and last time in _______ city, right? That line of thinking is just wrong, though, and can lead to exhausting days, not living in the present, not really actually soaking anything in and coming back home to memories that are cloudy and rushed. But what to do when you do want to see everything? Do a lot of planning ahead of time. Consider marking a day to be really touristy and see a ton of things you just check off the bucket list. Then try to spend the rest of your vacation spending more time doing less activities, even fitting in time to just linger somewhere.
Try something new
Travel always ignites the adventurous spirit, doesn’t it? Whether you’re already a daredevil or are more on the reserved side, harness that adventurous spark and try something new, maybe something that even scares you a little bit. It could be trying a new food. Learning to master the subway in a new city. Do something that will allow you to bring home something better than a souvenir — the confidence of trying something new!
Will let technology help your vacation, not hinder it
Hey look technology is great. It saves lives, makes life easier and is fun to hang out with. But don’t let it get in the way of savoring every sweet sip of your vacation. Consider saving the social media updates for the end of the day when you’re back at the hotel. Go retro and use a paper map. Turn phone notifications off temporarily so you don’t hear every time a coworker emails you, taking you out of the moment.
Will take better photos
Don’t come home with an SD card full of blurry, completely uninteresting travel photos that clog up your hard drive and you never look at again. But do come home with a tight, curated collection of photos that will make your friends drown in envy when you post them on Facebook and are the kind of shots you’ll want to print out and decorate your home with.
- How To Take the Best Travel Pics Ever: 8 Tips for Taking Photos You’ll Actually Hang Up