Pre travel Anxiety

I get very anxious travelling too, it's hard isn't it.

To help, I'll spend a lot of time making lists (even if I've already gathered things, writing it down anyway is good), checking things off, writing up an itinerary if needed (depending on type of holiday), checking routes on goggle maps, checking timetables, counting money. Printing out things and just looking at them is calming.

I'm also terrible for doing it all last minute, as some clothes will be still drying the night before, tidying the house if someone is coming to feed pets which I forget till about an hour before leaving. Leaving out a key as I've put off asking someone to feed the pets and have to send a message after we've left with instructions. (Anxiety that I'm putting them out by asking). Preparing food if we are going by ferry which can be last minute (and then I'll forget the fridge stuff sometimes). Leaving late as trying to get the kids to use the loo before we go...

I can't normally sleep the night before, as I'll be thinking about getting up, it doesn't help I can't sleep the first night anywhere either.

We travel regularly to Ireland, to see in-laws, so this helps as we are used to the trip by ferry. We do want to go on an overseas holiday, but normally get overcome with indecision and anxiety and just go to center parcs instead.

I flew somewhere on a business trip once with a bag full of wet clothes as the washing didn't dry in time. I had to hang it up 18 hours later when I got to the hotel to dry. 

I didn't get it organised. I think about stuff for days then do it all last minute too and get stressed. I try to do it earlier, I make lists, etc. But it all seems stressful whatever I do.

Yeah I think I've travelled with some things in a bag for extra drying when we arrive too!

It's funny (in at not funny way), how anxiety causes you to do some things extra early and put off doing some things till very last minute.

Like I'm so worried about remembering A, I'll put off B till last minute, which only then makes me remember C which is a mad scramble (like a last minute shop), and then only remember I meant to do D after we leave.

The best I've come up with is that there will always be at least one thing I've forgotten or not done, and as long as it's not major, I'll live with it.

Yeah I think I've travelled with some things in a bag for extra drying when we arrive too!

It's funny (in at not funny way), how anxiety causes you to do some things extra early and put off doing some things till very last minute.

Like I'm so worried about remembering A, I'll put off B till last minute, which only then makes me remember C which is a mad scramble (like a last minute shop), and then only remember I meant to do D after we leave.

The best I've come up with is that there will always be at least one thing I've forgotten or not done, and as long as it's not major, I'll live with it.