It is easy to claim “I love to travel” but tricky to act on your claims. Many of us remain restricted to armchair travelling, perusing exotic destinations only on Instagram reels.
You might put it down to general business – financial planning, kids’ schools, etc. You may resolve to go on that anticipated trip next year or the year after. But have you assessed if other reasons could be behind your travel plans getting shelved?
Here are three reasons you may not have perceived as active deterrents to travel.
#1 You’re Conditioned to Spend Money on Essentials
Travelling can involve considerable expense. You need money for flight tickets, hotel rooms, food, and sightseeing. Travelling with your family can involve further expenditure. Booking a toddler-friendly flight may be much more expensive than a late-night one. Paying these expenses becomes a hold-up when you view travel as “non-essential.”
It doesn’t help that the global economic market isn’t exactly reassuring. PwC’s latest “Voice of the Consumer” survey finds that most Australian consumers find inflation an overwhelming risk. Almost 48% of the respondents report actively looking for value for money. Justifying an ambitious travel plan can be difficult with this mindset.
However, it is time to acknowledge the far-reaching benefits of travel, from managing stress to understanding new cultures. How can spending on a trip that boosts your mental wellness be non-essential?
Besides mental health, travel may also reap another stunning benefit. A Journal of Travel Research paper found that travel can slow down aging. It seems that favourable travel experiences help our bodies keep a low-entropy state. Travel encourages movement, learning and connections, all of which keep us young.
Moreover, budget travel has become much more accessible, even for grand trips. You can consider homestays instead of hotels, book well in advance to get cheaper flights and commit to eating the local cuisine.
#2 You’re Unable to Address Lingering Health Issues
A lower back pain that comes and goes, a migraine that starts randomly, or a skin condition that embarrasses you. We have a lot going on health-wise that we may not pay attention to or even view as restricting. But these concerns can keep you from executing the travel plans you have been toying with.
What’s worse, you may not realise just how these niggling health problems are interfering with your life. For example, for someone suffering from chronic dental problems, the thought of unfamiliar food and people judging them for bad oral health is awful.
In 2023, the Journal of Transport & Health published a fascinating report. It seems that people who perceive travel constraints outside their local area perceive their health to be poorer. Being unable to travel limits their social interactions, which adds loneliness to the equation.
Once you acknowledge that health is holding you back, consider dipping into your savings to find a solution. Tackling challenges like skin or dental problems is tricky as many insurance providers don’t cover them.
Consider pursuing legal action if your problems stem from medical or manufacturer negligence. For example, many people have suffered caries and tooth loss due to long-term Suboxone use, an anti-addiction medication. Filing a Suboxone lawsuit can help you claim damages and get the required dental help.
On that note, a dentist who recommends multiple root canals, crowns, and fillings can be the very picture of dread. But things become manageable when you have financial help. TorHoerman Law notes that proactive action can help anyone who suffers because the relevant pharmaceutical companies didn’t warn them of the side effects.
You can also pursue this route if you have faced side effects from skin products that didn’t disclose their ingredients. Discriminatory treatment, like a doctor shrugging off chronic pain in women, also deserves putting down.
Taking charge of health problems, chronic or not, becomes imperative when they keep you from exploring the bounties of the natural world.
#3 You’re Stuck in an Organization With Poor Work-Life Balance
Your boss promised you could take annual leave in December. But when the month arrived, they claimed a last-minute emergency had struck, requiring everyone to step up. While you can understand such a situation happening once or twice, you should look deeper if it has become a pattern.
Some workplaces in Australia and beyond have a problem of poor work-life balance. Applying for leave and being allowed to enjoy it uninterrupted by phone calls and e-mails is a mammoth task. You will find it hard to materialise your travel plans in such a setting.
Consider talking to your supervisors about how your holidays are frequently cancelled. Is there a way to build a more employee-friendly leave policy? Annual leave in Australia went up to four weeks in 1974 but hasn’t grown since. Some unions like the SDA have been working on getting more paid days off. So, good news may be coming.
Also, ask your manager if you can send an out-of-office response for communication during the trip and address emails upon return. It might be worthwhile looking for another job if the culture is not amenable to a balanced life. You could also explore hybrid work schedules to get more time to travel and work in far-flung places. Ta-da!
Seeing the world is the best way to widen your horizons and understand other cultures. It lets you gain a broader perspective on personal problems. Ambitious travel plans can be hard to finalise and execute, but the first step is to rule out subconscious roadblocks.
When you gaze awestruck at the Great Barrier Reef in Australia or watch the Northern Lights illuminate the Finnish sky, you will realise everything was worth it.
