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Top tips for avoiding holiday stress

It's every holidaymaker's dream - a stress free holiday that goes without a hitch. Holidays are designed to banish stress; to forget about work deadlines, relationship worries, money matters and the like. But all too often holidays actually cause stress for some people.

So how do you prepare for the ultimate, stress free holiday?

Preparing for your stress free holiday

• Plan, plan, plan! Get stressful preparations out of the way before you go so that you can spend more time enjoying your holiday
• Discuss your holiday expectations with your travel companions so that you can make agreeable compromises between you
• Buy comprehensive travel insurance. Losing your luggage or falling ill is stressful enough without having to fork out thousands of pounds to cover medical costs. Insurewithease.com has a range of affordable policies available
• List all the things you want to take so that you don't forget anything when it comes to the packing stage. And don't leave packing to the last minute - it can make you forget things!
• Check well in advance that your passport is up to date
• Read online reviews about the resort, accommodation and restaurants you want to visit. Tripadvisor.co.uk is a wonderful resource for holidaymakers
• Pay a little extra for speedy boarding and check in online to beat those airport queues
• Try to avoid early morning flights that drag you out of bed at 3am. They may be cheaper, but the lack of sleep could make you more irritable - not a good start to your holiday!
• Make sure you know where all your travel documentation is so that you are not fumbling around in your hand luggage when you get to the airport
• Make a budget and stick to it. Take a few forms of payment such as cash, credit cards and travellers cheques
• Plan your excursions or daily activities before you leave so that you don't eat into your holiday time thinking about what to do
• If you are not travelling too far afield, consider alternatives to flying. Hanging around at airports for delayed flights or losing luggage can be the most stressful part of a holiday
• Plan holidays abroad outside of school holidays to avoid crowds of children
• If you are travelling with children, chose a destination that will suit young and old alike that has child friendly facilities. Resorts with creches will give you some time to yourself
• Book hire cars in advance to make sure you get a good deal and you get the car that you want
• Take steps to avoid getting sick - falling ill abroad can be stressful when you don't have your own bed to curl up in
• Don't take expensive jewellery or clothes - just think how disappointed you would be if you lost that antique gold necklace or your Gucci sunglasses! Pack belongings that are cheap to replace
• If you have booked a package holiday, attend the rep's welcome meeting and know how to contact your rep if you have any questions or problems
• If you are travelling in a group, take mobile phones with you so that you can contact each other if you get split up
• Be flexible - things don't always go to plan in foreign countries
• Forget about work - leave your laptop and mobile phone at home and tie up any loose ends before you leave the office

Now you are all prepared, you have packed your suitcase and your passport is up to date - you are all set for a stress free holiday!

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