7 strategies to emotionally manage not being able to go on vacation

Holiday periods are one of the most anticipated events of the year for many people, but Unfortunately, this reality does not always fit with the responsibilities linked to certain work models and professional performance. For this reason, there are not a few who cannot afford to go on vacation when they wish, something that can produce not only frustration and subjective discomfort, but also job burnout and demotivation

That is why a series of psychological strategies must be put in place to help us cope in the best possible way the weeks in which we would like to be disconnecting from everything on a beach, in distant cities or in the middle of nature.

• Related article: "Intolerance to frustration: 5 tricks and strategies to combat it"

Tips to face and assimilate not being able to go on vacation when you want

Below we present a series of emotional management tips focused on managing frustration and the possible demotivation arising from the impossibility of having a vacation like the ones you would like to enjoy.

1. Specify a future vacation

Although we can't go on vacation at the present time, it is very helpful schedule a vacation that allows us to relax and enjoy, for a few weeks or months.

Specify the moment in which we can go on vacation at a future date, will allow us to have a temporary reference of the goal to which sooner or later we will arrive, and that will serve as an element motivator.

• You may be interested: "8 keys to stay motivated and achieve your goals"

2. workation

explore the possibility of workation (working during vacations) is a practice highly recommended for freelancers and digital nomads who wish to travel to a vacation destination but must continue working.

Workation basically consists of going to another city or country and working from there for a few days, to disconnect at least partially during periods of free time from which they can to enjoy.

This practice is highly effective, as it allows us to make the most of our free time after daily work, and provides the possibility of knowing other cities or countries during the time in which we stay in that destination tourist.

3. Take advantage of activities during the vacation period

During the stages in which most people ask for vacation days many cultural activities related to music or cinema are held in the open air, experiences that we can live intensely once our daily workday is over, even if we don't have those days off. In this way, we will get rid of the idea that we cannot enjoy any aspect of the holiday season, without letting a very pessimistic and dramatic vision of what happens to us affect us.

In order to combine these activities with our work obligations, we must maintain a correct organization of time at all times, which allows us to schedule leisure activities later.

4. Boost time optimization

If we want to take advantage of all the opportunities that summer time offers us and the long hours that we have before nightfall; by optimizing our work time we will be using that idea that we are in "vacation time" to motivate us to perform better and finish pending tasks.

Finishing our working day before we will have room for maneuver to take advantage of the rest of the time of the day and be able to carry out all kinds of recreational activities or social gatherings with our best friends.

• Related article: "Time management: 13 tips to take advantage of the hours of the day"

5. Question socially shared vacation expectations

The consumer society in which we live manufactures a series of expectations and artificial needs to sell their products to the general public, and this phenomenon is also used to sell vacation destinations determined.

The media, advertising and more recently social networks They contribute to exalt holiday leisure models based on overcrowded tourist destinations on the coast, in which it is necessary to spend a large amount of money on constant purchases.

Questioning these expectations of vacation leisure and fleeing from stereotypical models of vacations will allow us to value other ways of spending our vacations, for example, discovering new places in our cities or visiting charming nearby towns, something that can be done at any time of the year.

6. avoid comparisons

In the same way that it can be of great help to us to question the vacation leisure expectations of modern consumer societies, it is also highly recommended not to compare our comparisons with those of nobody else, especially in the age of "posturing" in social networks.

The fact of comparing our vacation plans with other people can make us feel bad, since there will always be someone who lives experiences much more valued socially than us.

• Related article: "Do you really know what self-esteem is?"

7. find time for ourselves

Summer vacations are a very necessary period to rest and it is in these months when we must combine the daily work with the fact of finding a few hours a day to be able to rest or carry out activities pleasant.

Looking for a daily gap to do all those things that fill us the most and that make us happy, we will be able to increase our well-being, our good humor and we will be able to recharge energy for our work.

Any activity that makes us happy can be good for overcoming frustration and achieving happiness during the vacation period.

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