We all know that a long weekend trip can come with an uptick in dining out, drinking, decreased sleep levels, and a change of pace. While we welcome enjoying oneself, it can feel quite overwhelming to come home from a long weekend out of your house to a disrupted routine.
A routine consists of activities that a person chooses to participate in on a daily basis. A consistent routine helps to minimize stress levels, increase awareness of oneself, and allow a person the time to relax. Today, we are going to break down ways to get yourself back on track after a long weekend away.
How Prioritizing Nutrition and Health Can Make or Break Your Return Back to Reality
It is no secret that our daily diet and health habits shift when we leave for a trip outside of our home. Leaving for a trip can make it harder to stick to habits such as taking your daily vitamins for bloating, drinking enough water, and eating healthy.
The first thing to be aware of is that losing consistency in your health habits does not mean you have failed or reflect on you in any way. A person is bound to lose track of their health habits from time to time, but the important step is knowing how and when to reel your focus back in. Below, we have compiled a list of ways to prioritize those health habits after a long weekend away.
1. Pack your meals with nutrients
Our digestive process can become interrupted with copious amounts of takeout food due to the fact that takeout tends to be filled with more grease and processed sugars/fats. In order to help get your digestive system back on track, try prioritizing foods filled with high levels of protein, probiotics, and fiber in your meals. Yogurt, chicken breast, salmon, and oats are all great examples of staples to keep in your meals the week following a trip out of your home.
2. Get back on track with your supplements
A supplement for bloating and overall wellness works most efficiently when it is being taken day in and day out. Make sure that you really make it a priority to take your supplements with the best digestive enzymes, probiotics, and nutrients every single day in order to reap all the benefits they have to offer. This is also another great way to support getting your digestive system back on track.
3. Boost your immune system
Sometimes, traveling can cause our immune system to weaken, making us more vulnerable to catching a cold or an illness. The last thing you want after a weekend away is to be caught up in bed with a virus. Vitamin C and vitamin D are two essential nutrients that can help to boost immunity levels in the body. Try incorporating these into your daily life either through your diet or through a supplement.
How to Get Your Responsibilities Back In Order After a Long Weekend Away
It can become easy to fall behind on household chores after a long weekend away. Use the following list as a checklist to get your environment back in order to best allow you to come back feeling focused and relaxed.
- Wash all laundry, towels, and bed sheets
- Clean out car
- Tidy up your room or other general environments you tend to spend time in
- Refill any empty paper holders throughout the house
- Clean out your fridge before going grocery shopping for the week
- Make note of any food in your pantry you can use for the week ahead
- Check emails and any missed calls
- Wash and put away any dishes in the kitchen
Aside from general household chores, it is important to get your mind back in order as well before the start of the new week. Journaling down any scattered thoughts and writing down a list of priorities for the week ahead is a great way to center your thoughts. This will help you to stay focused throughout the week, and can be used as a great reference, should you get distracted.
If you are a planner, now is a great time to block off any time that is already occupied with responsibilities. This will allow you the chance to see any time you might have open for tentative meetings or activities you are considering taking on. For example, if you have any meetings you might have missed during your time away, this is a great time to get those responsibilities in order.
The Importance of Pampering Yourself After A Trip
Once your environment is back in order, it is important to remember to give yourself extra attention after a trip away. While traveling can be amazing for our mental health, it can at the same time be quite draining for our physical and mental health. It is extra important to take the time to look out for your health and prioritize the following activities:
Sleep
It can be quite easy to lose out on sleep when you are on a trip. Even if you do not feel repercussions right away, stepping away from a sleep routine will catch up with you in the long run. Sleep deprivation can cause fatigue, mental fog, irritability, and can lower your immunity levels. Make sure that you are blocking off extra time after a trip away to rest up and recover from any lost sleep you might have experienced.
Low Impact Exercise
Exercising also tends to be neglected when a person is on a trip. It is important to prioritize some low impact movement in your routine shortly following a return from traveling. Activities such as going on a walk, biking, yoga, pilates, and stretching are all great ways to get your body moving and to incorporate exercise slowly back into your routine.
Drink Water
Dehydration can cause you to experience a decline in digestive health, fatigue, unhealthy skin, and loss of strength. While it is encouraged to drink a consistent amount of water even when you are away on a trip, we acknowledge that this does not always tend to be the case. Try to ensure that you are at least making a point of drinking water after a long trip away to get your hydration levels back in order.
Going on a trip does not need to completely derail your routine. Adding back in health habits and prioritizing your needs can help to get you back in order.