This comment from an article by Robert Villanueva expresses a feeling that many people share – vacations can be anything but relaxing!

But Robert shares in his article that this time he actually had a great vacation! What is the secret that helped him to enjoy this vacation more than previous ones? What did he do differently that enabled him to be rested and refreshed at the end of his vacation, rather than worn out and stressed?

The Case for Being Flexible on Vacation

Robert’s new approach to this vacation was being flexible about the agenda, and it made a huge difference.

Why is flexibility so important in order to be able to relax on vacation? How does being flexible help you to actually enjoy yourself more?

Flexibility gives you the freedom to enjoy yourself

When you decide you’re going to have a flexible vacation, the wonderful thing is that it sets you free. You’re no longer obligated to do anything. You can just have fun and enjoy the moment, however things work out.

The beauty of this is that you can still do lots of things, but without any pressure. Rather than having the attitude, “We have to hurry and finish going shopping, because the tour starts at 10 o’clock,” you can enjoy what you’re doing however long it takes. You’re not accountable to anyone, not even yourself, to do the next activity.

Flexibility allows you to adjust without getting stressed out

Another huge advantage to being flexible on your vacation is that it allows you to deal in a much more healthy manner with all the unexpected events that happen.

When something goes wrong and plans don’t work out while you’re on vacation, it’s natural to get stressed out. After all, vacations are special time, and you want everything to be perfect.

But being flexible allows you to remain focused on the real purpose of your vacation – to enjoy yourself and relax – rather than getting caught up in a list of planned activities.

Flexibility lets you relax

The end result is that having a flexible attitude towards vacation lets you get more out of your vacation.

It’s sort of ironic, but as with many things in life, when you try to control your vacation too much, you can ruin it by stressing yourself out.

But when you let go and loosen up about how your plans for vacation are going to work out, you actually free yourself up to enjoy your vacation more than ever.