I was on the phone discussing my holiday travel arrangements
with the folks when it dawned on me,
”
Aaaaaaahhhhhh! Christmas is this week!
”
I was on the phone discussing my holiday travel arrangements with the folks when it dawned on me, “Aaaaaaahhhhhh! Christmas is this week!”
Ever the procrastinator, I somehow managed to get my plane tickets a couple of weeks ago, but I’m still not done with the Christmas shopping; the gifts I ordered online are late; nothing’s wrapped; I haven’t baked the cookies for our office pot luck; AND I have to fly out of here after work on Dec. 23.
Thank God I didn’t try putting up a tree or anything. I could be ready to pull my hair out. Instead, I’m just tossing and turning for the third night in a row.
I’m not alone, either. According to a 2003 Gallup poll, 76 percent of Americans lose sleep due to holiday stress between Thanksgiving and New Year’s.
The rates of suicide, heart attack, stroke, sudden infant death syndrome, accidents and other catastrophes all climb precipitously during this time of year, and with little wonder. The whole world seems a madhouse.
For those traveling during this busy time, the best advice around is to be realistic. Accepting the presence of factors beyond your control will allow you to reshape your travel plans as needed. Of course lines are going to be long.
There will be extra people traveling. Of course there will be delays or someone will get sick or some form of Murphy’s Law will come into play to thwart plans of holiday glee. Would it be Christmas without a little chaos?
To help keep down your stress levels, here are a few suggestions:
• All Travelers: Plan, plan, plan and then plan some more. Take the absolute longest amount of time you think it will take to get somewhere and add an hour or more of lead time to that figure.
Try to imagine possible scenarios – a surly TSA worker, extra-costly cab fare, etc. – and be prepared to meet them graciously, but with a plan of action.
• Air Travelers: Get there early. Every travel agent in the world says this, but it’s the truth.
If you must leave for the airport after work, see if it would be possible to take a small amount of work with you.
It’s easier to work on a project from your laptop in the airport lounge than to be hyperventilating in the back of a traffic-bound van 30 minutes before your flight is supposed to take off. Another tip: check your bags. True, there is the slight possibility that your luggage could be delayed or even (rarely) lost, but consider the alternative: stuck schlepping that heavy bag of presents and a suitcase on every little detour through the third delay in your flight only to find all the overhead space taken once you do get inside the plane and forcing you to sit with your knees uncomfortably lodged just below your chin through the duration of the flight whilst that pesky bag sits on the floor below.
• Car Travelers: Take breaks at regular intervals. Reduce leg cramps, fatigue and muscle soreness by stopping frequently for stretches, brief walks and, if necessary, 15 to 45 minute naps. Coffee takes up to 30 minutes to bring a true pep to drivers, and according to the National Sleep Foundation, tests of performance and alertness performed on people who were awake up to 19 hours found they performed substantially lower than those who took the same tests with a blood alcohol level of .08.
• Parent Travelers: Fight boredom and crankiness by taking along and miraculously coming up with surprises at regular intervals throughout the trip. Little travelers will be kept busy and quiet, so Mom and Dad can concentrate on the road. Nutritious, non-meltable snacks and water are also good options to carry along as food may not always be available when you want it (i.e. during hours of gridlock) and kids can’t be guaranteed to enjoy airline food … for that matter, neither can their folks.
Wherever you’re headed this holiday, may safe travels define the season.
