GIVE YOURSELF A BREAK

If it takes the first three days of a 10-day trip to get your mind into vacation mode, we feel you. So we asked some of the busiest people we know how they power down.

- ERICA LEIGH FINAMORE

AHHH, VACATION! A time to relax. To be calm and unhurried. To leave the grind behind and wind down... immediately upon arrival. You know, after those months of planning, and those weeks of doing extra tasks to prepare for time off work, and those long days of packing and readying yourself and others and the house for departure day. Oof. According to our unscientific calculations, you need almost half a vacation just to come down from all that and settle into a new locale.

“Ironically, even though the whole point of a vacation is to give us a break from our routines, being outside our comfort zones can be unsettling,” says Nicola Jane Hobbs, a psychologist and the author of The Relaxed Woman, a guide that offers tips on resting without guilt or anxiety. But time away is essential—and even helps you perform better at that job you feel like you're neglecting. A 2025 meta-analysis from the University of Georgia, including 32 studies across nine countries, found that vacations substantially boost employee well-being, for way longer than previously thought. So schedule that time off! And actually enjoy it, thanks to this great advice from Hobbs and other busy people who've mastered the art of R&R.

Brush Your Teeth...Slowly

Like, really slowly. Hobbs says that adjusting even the tiniest, most mundane parts of your daily routine can help you reset. “Rushing tends to trigger the stress response, and slowing down helps switch it off,” she explains. “By slowing down your daily actions while you're on vacation, you'll help your mind and body relax.” That means walking more slowly. Chewing more slowly. And yes, brushing your teeth more slowly. Once your body moves at a mellower pace, your mind should too.

Prep Like a Pro