Lifestyle
Best At-Home Practices for World Travelers
I can count the number of professional world-travelers I know on one hand. In what can only be described as an “unfair move” by the universe: most of us humans don’t get to claim “professional globe trotter” as a career. However, there is, in fact, an up-side to that; “world-traveler” can mean different things to different people. Some are privileged enough to go on trips throughout their lifetime—but this is not a luxury affordable to all. Here at YRH, we are *firmly* in the camp that one can claim “world-traveler” status with a simple love of different cultures, different people, different languages, different foods… you get it. At the moment, we’re relegated to our homes (regardless of our typical ability to travel), so not matter our backgrounds, I think we could all use some at-home practices for world travelers that we can enact in our every-day lives.
Take these aspects—all things we typically *only* do when we travel—and incorporate them into your schedule. Remember: you’re a globe trotter, no matter your abilities, no matter your passport stamps, no matter the day, no matter the place.
Adjust to Your Own Time Zone
Perhaps one of the most difficult at-home practices for world travelers; get into a daily routine. It can be difficult to shift your body to adhere to a different time zone when you travel, but it can be equally difficult to start/end your day when you aren’t consistent with your schedule. It’s important to wake up (and get to sleep!) around the same time every. single. day. Yes, that also means weekends!
We recommend the multi-alarm system to ease into your routine. Personally, I have three alarms that wake me up in the morning: each go off 5-15 minutes apart—6:00am, 6:05am, and 6:20am. The first stirs me just enough to come out of deep sleep, the second has me “thinking thoughts” and not just dreaming, while the last allows me to bat my eyelashes and sit up in bed. The five minutes between the first and second alarms is important; I tend to fall back into deep sleep quickly, so entering into that “half-awake” state is important. Additionally, I have two alarms set for the end of my day: 9:15pm (start to wrap things up) and 9:45pm (get into bed and turn off the lights) which allow me to wind down, implement my skincare routine, do some meditation, and get *real* sleepy. Try it for yourself!
Plan One Adventure Per Day
When we’re on vacation, we tend to connect with our feelings in a whole new way. Waking up in a new town, a new state, a new country can really change our perspective, but it can also give us a sense of urgency to see everything as fast as we can. After all, we have *limited* time in this new place; it’s time to get out of bed and see it! At home, our sense of urgency shifts to our work schedule—it’s still a go-go-go mentality, but we’re at about 1/4th as excited. Smart travelers are able to plan around one major site/excursion per day; let’s bring that ideology into our daily lives!
Make it a point to plan one fun thing per day (if that turns into multiple fun things, so be it!). While you may not be putting “walk the Great Wall of China” on your average itinerary, it’s a great opportunity to give yourself something to look forward to daily. Weekends can hold day trips, concerts, picnics, etc., (when possible) while week days are reserved for special meals, an episode of a new TV show, reaching out to a friend, and beyond.
Truly Experience Your Meals
New foods in new places are so exciting—we often spend half the meal talking to our travel companions about the new flavors, the interesting textures, and the unfamiliar presentations. When was the last time you were *THAT thrilled* to dig into the sandwich you eat most days for lunch? While we don’t all have the option to eat something entirely new every day, we absolutely have the power to enjoy our food!
Close the laptop, put down the phone, close your eyes, and take a few bites. Take a minute to make up a description for your food, as if you were trying to explain the experience to a friend. This is a great practice for those trying to control their portion sizes, but it’s also a lovely way to feel connected to your meal—even if you’re grabbing a bite of your kid’s uneaten mac and cheese.
Enjoy the Company
There’s just *something* about sharing a big trip with a friend/family member/significant other. In fact, many relationship experts (along with us at YRH) advise couples to take a vacation with their partner before engagement, as the stress of travel (and how one handles it) often says a lot about a person. But why wait for your trip?
Whoever you’re sharing your life with—parents, children, significant others, friends, family members—are your travel partners. Include your globe-trotting companions on your daily adventures, tag along on theirs, take the time to tell that person how much they mean to you. It’s cliché, but it’s true; life is a journey. Don’t take your travel buddies for granted.
Pause to Take in the View
Speaking of cliché! Everything can easily seem slow right now—this stay-at-home lifestyle can trick us into believing we’re not going fast enough. We try to busy ourselves with projects and home-improvement endeavors just to *force* that “I’m busy” mindset. Even now, it’s so very important to slow down, breathe, and take stock of our surroundings. While we don’t (necessarily) have to gaze out our windows, we can take a bit of time to move around the house, look at what we have, and feel grateful. Send some light and love to your neighborhood, to your town, to your county, to your state. Mentally acknowledge that you are loved and supported. Maybe give yourself a hug… whatever floats your boat, you master traveler you!
