When Vacations are Not Vacations
Stress can easily result from a daily dose of driving through heavy traffic, working the same kind of job in the same setting from nine to five daily, and the strain of keeping your house in order. Most health experts agree that stress can take a significant toll on our bodies, weakening our immune system and adversely affecting our vital functions. It can also make us anxious, depressed, irritable, and even impair our memory and thinking.
Vacations are intended to break this stress. This is the reason why the government mandates employers to provide a number of days of paid vacation for their employees. A problem arises, however, when vacations, instead of relieving stress, actually cause more. This can happen because taking a vacation involves much more than not going to the office, boarding a plane, and basking in the sun. Indeed, there’s plenty of work to be done before you can step on the plane.
First, you have to plan for your vacation, looking for suitable places, checking out airlines, and comparing costs. You may also have to conduct some research about any foreign country you plan to visit. Learn something about their culture, food, and of course, the travel documents they may require. If you have pets, you have to plan for them too. If no one is going to be left in the house, you have to ensure that your security system is working properly. And then there is the packing, waiting in line at airports, running after flight schedules, and jet lag.
Being in an unfamiliar territory where you never really know if the person you are talking to is trying to con you can also be worrying. When in a tour group, all too often the operators pack so many activities into the tour that they can be exhausting. With not enough time to rest, you can feel more tired than relaxed.
For all these reasons, it is not unusual to hear stories of people returning from a vacation needing another vacation to recover from the stress of their first vacation.