As I sit here on a transatlantic flight above the clouds, returning from the World Select Hockey Tournament in Prague & Munich, I begin to consider ways to make the “re-entry” into life gracefully manageable. With a recent increase in travel, both personally and professionally; I am realizing that a system for keeping family life, health, personal wellbeing and business rolling along as smoothly as the wheels on a plane roll down the runway, is imperative. It made the proverbial wheels in my mind begin to turn thinking about 11 Simple Solutions to make this part of life flow with ease and grace instead of being a tumultuous & bumpy touchdown. We will explore some of the easy action steps you can take to make re-entry from your vacation, getaway and business trip (or your on-the-go lifestyle) a smooth and fluid landing.
As I mentioned in a previous blog, this has been the year of travel. I think I have traveled more in the last 6 months than in the last 2 years combined. There have been trips across the Atlantic to London, Florence, Prague & Munich. Adventures North to Minneapolis, South to Florida, North Carolina, Philly, Florida, the Bahamas & NJ, and West to California. Recently I have begun to feel as though I am whirling in and out through a revolving door.
When an abundance of attention is given to one area of one’s life, other areas can begin to feel slightly out of balance or neglected. This is true with anything and everything. When this happens it is important to develop ways to bring your life back to a state of equilibrium. This can relate to travel or being on the go as well. In today’s demanding world that calls for travel or the on the go lifestyle, it is important to develop techniques to handle the strain and drain.
If you are always on the go or traveling, whether for business, family activities or fun it is sometimes necessary to find strategize to keep the calm instead of being caught up in the disruptive chaos that this can create. Sitting on a plane for the umpteenth time made me begin to think about ways to make this process less disruptive and more effortless.
1. Leave your Home Orderly
The way you leave your home can set the tone for your level of stress upon return. Actually, if you leave it a mess and can stress you out the entire time you are away from it. If there are piles of clutter or items that need to be tended to part of your brain will stay focused on the items that need your attention. This is true even if you are 3000 miles away. Try to make a habit of leaving your home orderly so that when you are away you can focus on the work or fun at hand and when you return it will be with a sense of relief and harmony.
2. Do the Laundry Before you Leave
It is typical to return from time away with items that need to be laundered. Make it a habit to wash, dry and put away laundry before you leave. This will allow you to efficiently and effectively deal with the new items that need washing when you get back without the hassle of a backup of items. It will also allow you to have outfits handy for the day ahead without the need to scramble to find something to wear.
3. Categorize Items
Speaking of laundry, when packing your suitcase to head home, organize it so that your dirty items can be laundered with ease. Simply separating dirty from clean and color categories for laundry items will save you time when unpacking.
4. Hangers
One of my favorite Simple Solutions is to pack items on wire hangers (because wire hangers take less space in a carry on), which allows you to easily unpack, repack and put away those items. For me this is a huge time saver.
5. Fresh Linens on Your Bed
There is nothing like coming home to your own bed after being away! I sometimes long for my soft pillow or cozy blanket. Well, I will tell you that it feels even more delightful when your bed has crisp, clean sheets on it! Ahh, it feels so good!
6. Make a Meal Before you Leave
It can be sooo stressful to know that the fridge is totally cleaned out and you have nothing at the ready for your return. Take some time to plan out your food plan before you leave. This will help reduce stress and eliminate the inclination to grab something that is a less healthy alternative just because it is convenient. Making and freezing a homemade soup or lasagna can be a super Simple Solution that will redirect the appeal of fast food.
7. The Essentials
Ask a friend, sitter or relative to buy a few essential items to have for your return. I was thinking about ways to make life easier for my own children when they travel one day. It dawned on me that it would be fun to fill their refrigerators with perishable essential items when they return. I know that my hubby would love to come home to his nightly ritual of a glass of milk and 2 Newman’s Own Oreo cookies. Tonight that won’t be possible because we will have been gone to long for the milk to last. If a parent isn’t available, maybe you can think of a friend or dog sitter that will be happy to accommodate your request.
8. Plan Your Sleep Schedule
When something is in motion I tend to get lulled to sleep. That being said, I do my best to think about the time zone I am landing in and the time it will be. On this trip we will be landing in the evening and are encouraging our kids to stay awake for the entire 8-hour flight so that they will want to sleep when we get home. This Simple Solution only takes a little pre-planned thought but can have a huge impact on your adjustment and level of energy for the days ahead.
9. Exercise
It is amazing how exercise can help how you feel when you are on the go. It has a huge impact on your mind, body and spirit! Exercising can give you energy, help beat jet-lag and counter all the calories from foods you might not usually eat. Make a practice of sweating for 30-minutes before, during and after you travel.
10. Drink Plenty of Water
Water is imperative whether you are traveling, constantly on the go or not. Drinking plenty of water will help you keep hydrated, stay regular and flush your system.
11. Email Inundation
In one of my most recent blogs I wrote about Email Inundation and gave you Simple Solutions on how to handle this hazard with ease and grace. Click here to take a look and gain some quick tips on handling the blitz of emails that can take over your inbox when you are on the go.
There are ways to re-enter life without the dread that can be accompany the return. Use these Simple Solutions to help you navigate the disruption of your on the go life style.
I would also love to hear from you what your tips and tricks are to overcome the overwhelm when on the go. Leave your comments below or join the conversation on the Home in Harmony Facebook Page.
Happy Soaring!
XOXO
another fab 1!!!!
Thanks Michelle! Which Simple Solution Tip was most effective for you?
Would have to definitely say number five and six because obviously most of us are so busy thinking about getting out of town that we don’t often think about how I am to make our lives easier when we come back and it’s probably pretty critical because we’re going to be really tired so just the overall article in general had me thinking about a lot of things that I would’ve never thought about before but in particular numbers five and six i think would have rhe most impact for me personally.
But what’s really remarkable is that you as a mom literally have to think aboutnit only yourself and husband but your kids too and so the article just encompasses getting everybody taken care of (including yourself) in a very nurturing & gentle way and that’s really awesome …..plus it’s solid gold organization to the max ~which I love!!!??