In the spirit of the travel bug I’ve caught this year, I wanted to touch on a subject near & dear to my type-A heart: how to get back on track ( think health-, work-, & brain-wise ) after vacation/traveling.
This year, I’ve traveled to Mexico, Bali, Dallas, Scottsdale, Atlanta, Palm Springs, New York ( twice! ), Puerto Rico & Miami, and in a few weeks, I’ll be off to Europe for a month ( so pumped! ). I consider myself beyond lucky to have the opportunity to travel a LOT and call it work. I don’t think I could repeat that enough, but I’ll spare you my guilt and get it out of the way now.
One slightly-negative aspect an on-the-go lifestyle: absolute CHAOS. Scheduling gets tricky while traveling, and staying healthy & on a workout regime is nearly impossible. Checking tasks off a work to-do list occasionally takes a back burner to days spent on an airplane. It’s easy to feel disoriented & unsettled between trips.
So, I’ve devised a plan to help me get back on track swiftly once I return home from an adventure. For me, being at home is my time to focus on work, routine, planning, & being disciplined. I cherish going new places, trying new things & relaxing on vacation, but I LOVE my Google Calendar too much to pretend a full day of work & treating my body right doesn’t fulfill me just as much.
Before we dive into this, I wanted to share that today’s post is in partnership with Finish Line, which is where you can find the look I’m wearing here. This type of outfit is my go-to for both travel days & afternoons spent running errands/working. A hot tip: if you’re looking for a sneaker that is seemingly sold out everywhere, you have to check Finish Line.
Seriously, every time I’m in need of a new pair of sneakers I can’t seem to find anywhere, I can find them at Finish Line. It’s like magic.
In this post, I’m wearing Adidas Originals Superstars, a pretty classic sneaker.
Kk, let’s chat about the 5 things I do to get back on track after traveling:
1 – SCHEDULE & LIST
usually, on the plane home from a trip, I take some time to schedule out the following 3-5 days in psycho detail.
I schedule shoots & meetings, beauty-related maintenance, daily workouts, & a loose meal plan ( to make grocery shopping easier ).
I then write down every. single. to-do that I need to accomplish on a master to-do list. Clearing my head of any clutter and getting each small ( or large ) task written down on paper always makes me feel less anxious.
Getting my ducks in a row and creating a detailed plan for how I’m going to spend the week ahead is essential for my getting back on track.
2 – UNPACK & CLEAN
I learned this tip from a few of my favorite travel bloggers: UNPACK AS SOON AS YOU GET HOME.
For me, unpacking immediately is no easy task. The majority of my flights have me arriving home in the evening or late at night, which means I’m READY to eat a late dinner & hop in bed the second I step foot into my apartment.
Lately, I’ve been forcing myself to unpack my bags ( after I order some food delivery, of course ) upon returning home, and it’s a game-changer.
Having to clean/organize things away after a full day spent at the airport/on a plane is a bit miserable, I’ll admit, but waking up feeling a step ahead the next morning makes the pain worth it ( lol, the drama ).
Speaking of clean, I always take a quick body shower after traveling all day. Getting in bed CLEAN is key to waking up feeling fresh.
3 – GET A GOOD SLEEP
This one is simple. Because, at this point, I’ve already planned out what I’m doing the next day & put all of my belongings away, I can fall asleep knowing everything is in order for tomorrow.
I turn on my essential oil diffuser, put on my “chiller” playlist, & tuck myself into bed as soon as I can.
4 – WORKOUT
The following morning, I like to get a sweat in to feel reset & revived.
Traveling usually knocks me off my game when it comes to health & fitness, so forcing myself back on a workout schedule ( pre-planned on the plane beforehand ) makes me feel like I’m bouncing back immediately.
It’s good to get your blood moving after sitting on a plane or in a car for a long period of time, too.
Generally, I’ll do some type of cardio exercise or class coupled with some post-workout stretching. If I’m feeling EXTRA, I’ll also spend some time in the sauna or steam room.
5 – SHOWER & GET READY
This is the step that really ties everything together, and sets the tone for the rest of the PRODUCTIVE day ahead. I like to think of it like a mini spa day.
Last night’s body shower was cool and all, but THIS particular shower is about going IN. I’ll wash my hair, do a hair mask, shave, & begin my rather extensive skincare routine in the shower.
Post-shower, I like to moisturize with an oil ( I talked about some of my favorite shower-related products in my most recent beauty haul here! ), put a sheet mask on my face, & add treatment product to my hair.
Then, I continue my skincare routine with extra moisturizing ( because travel can be very dehydrating! ), blow drying my hair, & brushing my teeth.
Lastly, I’ll throw an outfit like the one pictured here, make myself an iced coffee & I get started on conquering the day.
Like I said before, it’s important for me to feel refreshed, clean & in CONTROL of my time when it comes to getting back on track and focussed after laying on a beach ( or doing whatever else ) on vacation for awhile. This is a tried-and-true method for any of you wanting to motivate yourself after some particularly relaxing or exciting time off.
What do y’all like to do to reset after traveling?? Dish some tips.
Talk soon! Xx