It’s that time of year again! Time for frustrating summer vacations. Introverts often become overstimulated during vacations by trying to see too much or not getting enough quiet time. Here are a few tips for making your vacation more relaxing and less stressful.

1. There are several ways to decide on the destination of a vacation. One is the approach that Marti Olsen Laney, author of Introvert Advantage (affiliate link), takes. And that is, every year a different member of the family chooses the next vacation destination. The other family members will just have to roll with it, knowing that they will soon be able to choose a vacation too. Another way is to compromise on the destination, then make sure that each person gets to do an activity that excites them during the trip.

Which way?

2. Talk about each other’s temperament ahead of time and discuss what each of you wants out of a vacation. For instance, is a vacation’s purpose to relax, have a good time, or both? Does one of your family members love challenging outdoor experiences while the other loves reading indoors? It’s important to discuss this ahead of time. I’m not saying that everyone has to stay within their comfort zones the entire time, but knowing someone’s possible reaction to an activity is helpful when planning.
3. Talk about how it’s ok if you’re not together for 100% of the vacation. For instance, a friend of a friend has a very different temperament than her husband. When the couple goes on a cruise they will spend the majority of the time together, but if there’s a stop that includes a hike the husband will leave the ship while the wife stays on the boat and reads. A perfect vacation doesn’t have to be cramming in as much together-time as possible.
4. Schedule some Me Time and be firm about it. Perhaps the rest of the family could have breakfast out while you order room service. This may feel selfish, but it isn’t. For one, it’s just the responsible and self-aware thing to do. Second, your family will rather be around a happy you than a grumpy you.
5. Pace your activities. Sure, you *could* go to three museums in a row. But do you really want to spend two of them being grumpy? Give yourself permission to not see everything and view your vacations as a time to relax and have a nice time.
6. Think about what you find relaxing ahead of time. You may want to bring a book, music, or sketchbook with you wherever you go so that you can be prepared for your scheduled downtime or the random moments when you just need a break.
7. Bring a snack. Avoid hangriness by bringing some snacks and eating them before either person gets hungry. It may be that you don’t get out of a museum until 1pm and then it’s a half hour car ride to the highly rated restaurant where you were planning on having lunch. By taking care of your blood sugar you can avoid being cranky.

I hope these tips will help you have a nice and relaxing summer vacation. And please, the next time you go on vacation don’t forget your sunblock and to block out some personal introvert time.

Do you have any travel tips? Please share them in the comments.