Traveling is amazing but causes some of the most stress and anxiety for some people. People have a tendency to overload themselves with plans and itineraries, what to pack, what is or isn’t needed, etc.

1. If you are someone who gets cold on a plane, putting on lots of light layers would be good

If you’ve ever been on a flight before, especially an overnight flight, you know it tends to get quite cold on the plane.

Wear lots of light layers, that way you don’t have to bring heavy/bulky items. There’s also an additional benefit of taking them off easily when you start to get warm.

cold on an airplane
Photo credit: Designboom

2. Use the sharing economy for cheaper hospitality

Using the sharing economy is one good way to go about it. Instead of paying for the highly priced tourism accommodations, you can use the locals for cheaper prices.

You can find cheaper accommodation, tour guides, and local restaurant with local chefs, besides, locals know where to find the best deals. They know the cheapest stores/supermarket, where and when sales are on, and the best bars and local meals at amazingly cheap prices.

sharing economy for travel hacking

3. Pack like a minimalist

Do you pack so full that you have to sit on it to zip up the suitcase? This can make your trip very stressful and tiring; the frustration of moving such heavy bag around.

Instead, buy a small suitcase. Bring your laptop and tablet, wallet, a backpack. Pack more like a minimalist.

You’ll get more out of your travels if you focus your energy on embracing experiences, not carrying stuffs on the road.

minimalist packing
Photo credit: Indie Traveller

4. Minimize jetlag

Jetlag is a very common side effect from flying, especially if after a long flight and you’re changing a few different time zones. But you can minimize it by trying any of these.

Start with taking a very small dosage of melatonin.

Then restrict the blue light exposure on your laptop and phone.

End with setting your body clock to the time-zone 5 days prior to arriving.

jet-lag-airport-2
Photo credit: Travelandleisure

5. Being spontaneous could be more fun.

Imagine booking a one way flight to a country you’ve longed to go to and work everything else on arrival. It would be so much fun experiencing different types of transportation; Airplanes, boats, trains. They’re all adventures.

This could be a little bit extreme or over the top for most people, but at times, there’s more adventure in figuring out what to do when you’re there.