Travel Burnout - Tips For Dealing With The Stress Of Travel And Van Life

Travel burnout happens when the constant stressors of travel and van life accumulate leaving you with anxiety, the inability to seek more adventure, or negative feelings associated with something that once brought you so much joy. You may not notice it when it happens, but taking a step back and assessing your situation can help identify potential problem areas. It's not all that different from the types of burnout you may experience from work, or a more normal life.

It's not all that different from the types of burnout you may experience from work, or a more normal life. Travel and van life have many merits, so don't lose track of your reasons to pursue these lifestyles.

There are a few different ways that travel and van life can lead you towards burnout. Decision fatigue, hardship, stigma, employment/ income, loneliness, and stagnation can all take their toll and make you not enjoy the life you've built for yourself.

Decision Fatigue

Your van has become a mess. You're re-wearing the same clothes, your water supply is running low, and you've been making random meals from the last few remnants of your dried goods. You've got a lot of errands to take care of, but don't know where to start.

You get to your hostel with a grumbling stomach. Your walk here was late as the cheapest flight got into town after all the restaurants were closed. You've only got one night booked, and you need to decide where your next accommodations will be.

All of the daily decisions you make can add up. There are a lot of unknowns associated with van life and travel. Without the proper preparation and mindfulness, you can easily be overburdened by the ins and outs of travel and van life.

Let's discuss what you can do to alleviate decision fatigue:

• Slow down. You'll have to make a lot of decisions. From where you'll stay to what you'll eat, to what activities you'll do. Some of these decisions are quite important to your trips. If you can slow down and stay somewhere, or maybe only do one activity in a day, it might leave you with some spare time to rest and relax.
• Simplify your life. Travel can be full of new experiences and adventures. You may be eating at the fanciest restaurants, or be trying something new every day.
  While not for everyone, actions like wearing the same style of clothing, eating similar foods, having the same activities, and not depending on the world around you can help alleviate the many decisions you have to make daily.
• Maintain a schedule. When every day presents a different schedule, it might wear on you. Maintaining a schedule allows your days to be on autopilot instead of flying by the seat of your pants.
• Take a break. Depending on the length of your trip, you could find yourself constantly on the go. Over time, living life in the fast lane can wear on you. A temporary pause from the overall goal of your travels can look like a quick trip to a new location, staying at a hotel/ spa of your liking, or even visiting a friend and staying in their guest room. There's nothing wrong with throwing in the towel, but it doesn't mean you've failed at achieving your goals.

With these tips, you can fight decision fatigue and get more out of your travels with less effort and burnout.

Hardship

Cold weather, rain, wind, or even your location can lead to hardships during travel and van life. Van life and travel aren't as easy as it seems on social media. They're not all beaches and gorgeous vistas.

Below we'll go over what makes these lifestyles hard and how you can make your life easier:

• Climate. Depending on what type of travel you're doing, you may be exposed to the elements. Having a safe space to retire to, whether inside your van or staying at the hotel, can ensure you can brave the elements.
• Accommodations. Van life and travel both require planning for a place to sleep and stay. Walmart parking lots can be loud in your van, and hostels can be riddled with people snoring and coming and going all night long. Taking a break from urban van camping can give you some serenity. And the odd time you book a room to yourself can be refreshing and help get you back on track.
• Culture. Some places are better suited for travellers than others. You may not be allowed to park your van there overnight, or stepping out of your hotel gets you a lot of odd looks. With the internet, you can easily see reviews about parking spots, certain towns, hotels, hostels, and villages of the places you'll travel. While reviews might not paint a complete picture, it would behoove you to research your destination before arrival.

Travel isn't always easy. Many things can get in the way of your experiencing your time off. Using these tips can help you handle any challenges that arise while you're away.

Stigma

Whether you're on the road and hanging out at the laundromat, or are overseas sitting on a beach lying next to your backpack, people might have negative thoughts about you without even knowing you. "I don't belong here, and I'm not wanted here".

A lot of these stigmas aren't based on facts. Travel isn't always cheap, and you've probably sacrificed and saved a lot to do it. Similarly, van life can be expensive too - just think about all the decked-out sprinters rolling around.

The truth surrounding these stigmas can ensure the negativity doesn't wear on you. Let's have a look:

• Homelessness. One of the main stigmas associated with van life and travel is that you are homeless. The reality is that travellers and vehicle dwellers have an edge over traditional homeowners. Not paying rent or a mortgage when you won't be there means you save more money to fund your travels. Additionally, why can't a van be considered a home?
• Low-income. Travel isn't free, nor is the money spent on your build and fuel to get around. Travellers always being poor or low income couldn't be further from the truth. While these lifestyles can be cheaper than traditional living, it just means you're living without the same expenses as others and allowing your money to take you further.
• Introversion. Solo travel whether via plane or vehicle can be an isolating experience, especially if you're not travelling with anyone you know. Sometimes we might desire some alone time, but you might find yourself being happier when you relate to others who are doing the same thing as you and allowing your extroverted side to flourish.
• Being a vagabond. There are plenty of reasons to pursue travel and van life. Low-budget travel has become a necessity and a fun way to travel for longer.
  While the term vagabond might have once held a negative connotation, it's now viewed positively given that we are living outside the norm and making our own rules.

The truth surrounding travellers is more varied than the stereotypes associated with it. Hopefully, these clarifications can help ease your concerns about what others think about us travellers.

Employment And Income

You can't constantly adventure and maintain employment and income. Funding your travel usually requires some form of income. Some days, you'll have to put in the work so you can take a few days off to sightsee or explore.

Finances are a major concern no matter what you're doing with your life. Let's look at what you can do to better fund your travels:

• Save as much as possible. A big stressor for travelling is how you will pay for everything you want to do. When possible, saving the money required to cover your expenses can alleviate the immediate stress associated with funding your adventures. Saving a year's worth of expenses at a time can be a great way to stay on top of your travel funding.
• Travel jobs. If you're planning on spending a lot of time travelling, perhaps more than what you can reasonably save, you may end up needing employment. Working while travelling can allow you to cut costs and stay in one place to get a better connection to your environment by immersing yourself in the community and culture. Check out this post to see how digital nomads and travellers can make money.
• Seasonal jobs. A common way for travellers and van lifers to make money is to work seasonal jobs. This allows them to work, save money in one location, and spend other seasons travelling. If you can get your expenses low enough, this work-life balance can provide a ton of opportunity and time off to fix your travel itch.

Unfortunately, money is required to travel. Whether you save for the length of your trip or work remotely, there are ways to financially prepare yourself to stay out there.

Loneliness

For solo travellers, van life and travel can both be a lonely experience. You may not have friends who can travel with you, or your road trip across the US might not seem as enticing to others as it is to you.

Below are a few ways you can ensure you keep up with your connections and how you can feel that extroverted side of yourself:

• Visit friends and family. Not everyone can travel when you do, the speed at which you do, and for as long as you do. When this lifestyle doesn't align with your friends and family, it can be quite lonely. One of the benefits of van life is that you're able to choose where you'll be staying (for the most part). Travelling abroad can be a bit trickier, but making plans to return for the holidays, or getting your friends to come to visit you, even for a short time, can keep these networks going strong.
• Make friends. If you're not travelling with anyone, you might find yourself doing a lot on your own, which should be viewed as liberating. Any time I've gone to hostels and villas, I've always met people to chat with, learn about their travels, go out for dinner, watch sunsets, etc. I've even met people through the very fact that I was a foreigner and stood out like a sore thumb. If you're not staying somewhere where there are like-minded people, perhaps you might need to branch out by meeting people at the gym, bars, tourist areas, etc.
• Embrace alone time. Travelling with friends and family is not mandatory. You can do anything alone from eating out to seeing movies and even hiking. I've largely travelled solo and I found it to be the most liberating way to see new sights as I don't have to worry about another person's desires and needs. It allows me to focus on getting what I want out of travel.

Being alone while travelling doesn't mean you will be lonely. Check out Gabriel's YouTube to see how someone makes the most of solo travel:

Solo travel is a liberating and rewarding experience. Take pride in the fact that you're tending to your desires and goals without needing someone else. You can always visit friends and family, make new friends, or take advantage of the alone time to focus on yourself.

Stagnation

You may constantly feel you're not living up to the lifestyle, but that's okay. As long as you're tending to the things that truly make you happy, you shouldn't let comparison be the thief of joy.

I know that when "the next thing" is coming, I often start wanting it to already be there. For instance, upcoming trips make me pine for the event to already be here. And when I'm just a few days out from needing to be somewhere, I'm already thinking about being there.

Let's get into some of the ways you can stave off the feeling of stagnation:

• Mini Vacations. Staying in the same place for a long period can leave you feeling like your adventures are stagnating. When you begin to feel bored or uninspired by your environment, it might be time to take a vacation within your vacation. Taking these mini vacations can refresh your inspiration for a particular area while enjoying new sights.
• Do something new. When your days all feel the same, you may feel monotony creep in. One of the largest benefits of travel is that you can immerse yourself in new things. Whether it's a new place to hike or even a new place to read a book, novel sights or locations are a good way to beat monotony.
• Trial and error. Not all travel destinations are built equally. While the reviews might be astoundingly positive, it might not be the right fit for you. Through trial and error, you'll learn more about what to look for to make your stay more enjoyable. Take a risk and try something new. If you don't like it, you can always leave.

Conclusion

While van life and travel have many benefits, they can easily be overshadowed by the accumulation of stress and lead to burnout. Decision fatigue, hardship, stigma, employment and income, loneliness, and stagnation can all take their toll if you don't address them before they add up. Following the tips and tricks in this guide can help keep the love for travel alive!

I'd love to hear from you!

Do you have any questions that I did not answer here? Anything you'd like to add?

Let me know in the comments below!