Can you really leave stress in the airport?

In defence of the holiday: Balance explores how to leave your stress out the door and finally relax.

You’ve done it! Closed the laptop, switched on the out-of-office reply, and headed to the airport, convinced that the moment we got our passport out of our carry-on and stepped on that plane, our stress would magically disappear too… if only it were that simple.

The truth is, most of us don't arrive on holiday feeling relaxed. We arrive carrying deadlines, unread emails, mental to-do lists, and the habit of constantly being "on". No matter how many handovers and loose ends we tie up, we go to sleep dreaming of unread inboxes and things we need to do when we get back to it. That's why the first day away can sometimes feel surprisingly... crap. You're in a beautiful place, yet your brain is still somewhere back at your office desk. So, can you really leave stress at home? Not quite, but perhaps you can give your mind the chance to catch up.

Think about the last time you went away, or perhaps you’re one of the lucky ones away right now. Chances are the first 24 hours weren't spent completely unwinding. You might have been designated airport dad, checking directions, unpacking, settling into your hotel, or wondering if you remembered to turn your straighteners off at home.

Psychologists sometimes refer to this as a ‘transition period’. Our bodies may have reached the weekend destination, but our minds are still operating at weekday speed. Stress is as much physiological as it is emotional. When we're juggling responsibilities, the body produces hormones such as cortisol to help us respond to pressure. But chant with me: cortisol is not the enemy! It's essential for keeping us alert and energised, but the problem begins when this state becomes our bodies new normal.

It often takes a day or two (or ten) away from the demands of work before the nervous system begins to recognise that it no longer needs to stay on high alert, and that period is different for everyone. That’s why there is no single remedy that makes a holiday relaxing, but implementing all these small changes as you go.

You're sleeping in a different environment, and spending more time outside, walking further without thinking about it, eating differently, socialising differently, and living life a little off grid. That’s the key: a different routine.

Our brains love habits because they're efficient, but a routine tends to blend the week into one. You know you’re burnt out when you can’t remember what you had for breakfast that day! Holidays and breaks introduce novelty which encourages us to pay more attention to the present moment.

Ironically, the very thing that can make travel tiring at first is also part of what makes it mentally refreshing. But in our digital lives, can we ever truly switch off? Even brief work check-ins can make it harder to mentally detach because your brain is reminded that work still exists just beyond the screen. But chill out before you launch your phone into the sea like a dramatic film. For many people, staying lightly connected reduces anxiety. The key is to set boundaries that allow your holiday to feel meaningfully different from everyday life.

And whilst we are all pining over months away abroad, it must be stated that shorter breaks are proven to help wellbeing too. It’s the disconnect that matters, quality over quantity. You can pop to the British seaside, a town over, or maybe book a hotel round the corner. The break in routine is what is most important. So, how will you relax this summer? (Hint: put your phone on ‘DND’ for a few hours).