Last Updated on: 28th August 2025, 10:11 am
Life moves quickly. One minute you’re powering through deadlines, staring out the office window, and the next you’re realising you haven’t taken a real break in months. We all need to hit pause sometimes, mentally, physically and emotionally. So if you’re reading this, you’re probably wondering whether it’s time to take a trip.
You probably already know the answer. Whether you’re dreaming of sandy beaches, snowy mountains, or busy cities, now is the time to get inspired with ideas for your next getaway. So let’s take a look at 10 clear signs that it’s time to start planning your next vacation.
1. You can’t remember your last vacation. If you’re scrolling far back through your camera roll to find vacation photos, that’s a big red flag. Life isn’t meant to be all work and no play, and when you’re spending 40 hours a week behind a desk getting your salary for the month, you need to learn to book your vacation hours and take a travel break. Travel tends to break up the monotony of work and gives your brain the refresh that it needs. If your last vacation feels like a distant memory, then it’s time to start thinking about where you’re going to head next.
2. Your stress levels are heading through the roof. Chronic stress is so much more than just an uncomfortable feeling. It’s actually quite unhealthy for your body. If your days are filled with tension, if you’re snapping at people or you can’t fall asleep, your body is telling you that it needs a break. Travelling can help reduce stress by getting you out of your usual environment, introducing your experiences and helping you to reconnect with yourself or your loved ones.
3. You’re daydreaming about being anywhere else. If your mind is often drifting to tropical islands, cozy mountain cabins or quiet European streets, that’s your subconscious nudging you. You may catch yourself scrolling through travel blogs or watching vlogs just to imagine what it would be like to escape your current surroundings. Listen to those daydreams, because they’re often much more truthful than you realise. If you’re staring out the window and thinking about being in far-flung places, that’s your whole body nudging you towards booking that next vacation.
4. Work life balance doesn’t exist. When the boundaries between work and personal life start to blur, burnout is right around the corner. Checking emails during dinner or waking up and thinking about work means that it’s time to take a break. A vacation can help you to reestablish those boundaries and remind you that your well-being matters more than your inbox. You are absolutely allowed to take some time for yourself and not feel guilty for it.It’s up to your manager at work to make sure that you are covered, and it’s not up to you to do that.
5. You are running on autopilot. When your days are starting to feel a little bit like Groundhog Day. Wake up, work, eat, sleep, repeat. That’s a good sign that you’re overdue for a change of scenery. Travel works to shake up your routine and get you out of your comfort zone. You can go on an adventure, book an excursion, and see new cultures and spark creativity all at the same time. It also gives you a chance to follow that spontaneous thought that’s nudging you. Everything that a repetitive life lacks can be found in your travel plans, so start thinking about where you’d like to go.
6. The small things are starting to annoy you. If every little thing seems to annoy you lately, from the traffic to your coffee order being wrong, it’s likely not about those things at all. Often this is a sign that you’re mentally and emotionally drained and you need to take time away. Being able to travel, relax, and enjoy new surroundings helps to reset your perspective and your patience. Travel can do so much more for you than you think, and if it’s starting to affect your mood to be at home all the time, then you need to give yourself a shake.
7. You’ve simply forgotten how to have fun. When was the last time that you did something just for the joy of it, not because it was productive or part of your routine or because you were obligated to do it? But simply because it made you smile, travel invites you to explore, laugh, and play again. Whether it’s dancing at a festival in Spain, hiking through Iceland, or indulging in street food in Thailand, you get a chance to really smile and laugh once more.
8. Your creativity is starting to hit a wall. When you’re feeling uninspired or you’re stuck in a rut, a change of scenery can do wonders for you. Seeing new places, meeting different people, and encountering unfamiliar cultures can jumpstart your imagination. Whether you’re a designer, a writer, or an entrepreneur, travel feeds your mind in ways that routine life just can’t.
9. You’re jealous of everybody else’s vacations. A great sign that you need to start planning your next vacation is that you’re watching everybody else go away and you’re feeling jealous. If your social media algorithm is filled with friends on vacations and you feel more bitter than happy for them, it’s a sign that it’s your turn. That jealousy is a reminder of your own unmet need for rest and exploration. So instead of just liking their photos, use that as your motivation to start planning your own trip.
10. You’re waiting for the perfect time. Spoiler alert, there is no such thing as a perfect time to travel. In fact, there’s always going to be a bad time to travel because everything’s always going to be busy or expensive. But here’s the catch: waiting until everything lines up perfectly might mean that you never go. It’s time to decide to make it happen.
These signs are starting to resonate with you. Then it’s time to stop ignoring them. Life is too short to say no and too short to run on fumes. That is not normal. Your future self will thank you for starting right now.
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