R and R. No, Seriously.

The holidays are over and I survived.  This year seemed to be busier than most.  There were of course the normal family dramas, the stresses of finding just the right gifts, and the food, good Lord, the food.  This year also came with lots of traveling for me over the last few weeks.  I made another trip to New Orleans, this time for a wedding of a good friend.  I also burned up the highway to spend some time with my family, and to do the BIG extended family get together on Christmas Day.  Then I traveled, again, to New Orleans right after Christmas to play tour guide for two friends of mine.

I’m exhausted.  I enjoyed it, but I have to go back to reality after some time off from work.  I’ve spent the last few days trying to recover from my vacation, and it’s given me some time to think about what works for me.  There’s no way around it, travel exhaustion is rough.

I’ve put together a few rules of the road to help the weariest of travelers relax and recover, and return to reality.

HYDRATE – Drink lots and lots and lots of water.  You may not realize it, but even sitting on a plane or in a car for a prolonged period of time can lead to dehydration.  Adding to the fact that if you were on the road, you probably weren’t on your regular diet, and your body is craving water.  If you think you’re drinking enough, odds are, you aren’t.  Yes you will go to the bathroom more, but deal with it.  Here’s a hint:  If your pee is yellow – you are dehydrated.  It’s supposed to clear.

GET BACK ON SCHEDULE – If you’ve been changing time zones, or burning the candle at both ends, as soon as you are back home, get back to your usual routines.  This includes your regular bed time, going to the gym, and eating at your usual times.  The quicker you can jump back on the familiar band wagon, the better off you’ll be.  However…..

GET LOTS OF REST – Give yourself a day or so after you return to just be a sofa bum, and lay around and watch TV. Yes, you will feel a bit worthless by the time the afternoon rolls around but your body (and mind) will thank you for it.  For me, after I’ve been on the road, a lazy day watching World War II documentaries on the History or Military channels, with lots and lots of naps, followed by a bit more napping, is essential.

TAKE CARE OF YOUR ERRANDS – After you have given yourself a lazy day, and you are not back on your schedule, take care of any errands that need to be done.  Go to the post office, the grocery store, get the dog to the vet, or run to the hardware store.  Take care of all of those little things in life that you put off until after your trip.  It is now “after the trip.”  If you don’t, it will weigh you down, and life has a little way of adding more for you to do with each passing day.  All of this combines and can cause considerable mental stress.  Don’t let yourself be stressed out, and get too worked up over it all.  Simply take care of what needs to be done as soon as you can.  It may be a pain to do so, but it will help you to get back into the game sooner.  If you print your photos or make an album of any sort, now is the time to do so.  With everyday that passes, the likelihood of you doing so decreases, and when you do, it becomes very hard to organize your photos.

THINK ABOUT THE FUTRE-  You’ve got to look towards where you’re going next.  You need a plan on how you’re going to get there, and this is the perfect time to start thinking about what’s on your horizons.