People can get habituated of being busy all the time, always thinking about the next task on their to-do list, feeling restless when there’s nothing to do, and being unable to truly relax and simply unwind. These are clear signs you need to go on a restorative vacation. This is the kind of vacation that allows you to bask in nature, explore an exciting, new city, or any kind of trip in between.

But how can you ensure that the trip will be a relaxing, stress-free one? Whether you’re visiting relatives, taking a solo trip, or going on a getaway with your partner, the trick is to tone things down and to enjoy your vacation as much as possible.

Here are some pointers on how to battle against the travel jitters during your upcoming trip.

1) Keep a Flexible Itinerary
If you’re the kind of person to organize a tightly scheduled itinerary during your vacation, running from Museum A to Boat Trip Tour B to Restaurant C on any given day, then you’re serving yourself another big dollop of “Busy” on your plate. The whole point of your vacation is to get away from being busy and to sit back and relax, without having to worry where you have to be at a certain time.

Do yourself a favor and leave wide-open stretches of time in your itinerary where you’re not scheduled to do anything in particular. Let yourself be freer and more spontaneous to do what your whims of the moment tell you to do. It may be a tad frightening, at first, to let go of a highly regimented itinerary, but you’ll find the freer time more liberating as you break away from your routine. Simply going out for a coffee, enjoying the sights, or aimlessly wandering with your partner are the kind of activities that make you feel like a free person, rather than one chained to a preset itinerary.

2) Stay Healthy
While it’s tempting to indulge in your more sinful habits like having a few drinks or smoking cigarettes while on vacation, willfully straying from your commitment to a healthier life while on vacation can be dangerous. Suddenly drinking when your body has been free of alcohol for months can have adverse effects. It’s likewise for smoking cigarettes, as just a couple of cigs a day can see you spiraling back to being a “hooked” smoker when this is actually the last thing you want. No one wants to feel bad and guilty during their vacation, so exercise restraint and refrain from indulging in such health-harming activities.

3) Make Sure Your Home Is Safe
You want to enjoy your vacation with a free conscience, so make sure you leave your home fully safe and secure before officially leaving. Make sure your home security system is turned on and working well before you take off. Testing it about a week before you leave is a good idea so that you have ample time to adjust its motion sensitivity.

Other safety measures include having a neighbor keep an eye out for loiterers drifting near your property, leaving a good old-fashioned radio on, and checking in on your house via the internet while you’re soaking up the sunshine in a far-off destination.

In Conclusion
The above three tips will help you sit back and fully enjoy yourself as a more relaxed, carefree vacationer than you might have been in the past. Dropping your tendency to stay busy and to worry about the state of your home while away on vacation is a positive thing to embrace while exploring a new city or landscape. You’ll enjoy a freer, more relaxed attitude on your vacation than you ever have before.