We've all heard this piece of travel advice, "take half the clothes you were planning on packing and twice the money." Traveling lighter is the way to go and that includes letting go of some bad habits that may burden us along the way. Here are five things to give up before you hit the skies!
Social Media: Hear me out on this one. It is an amazing thing that we can document our lives through the use of online media such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and more, but how much of our real life adventures are we missing when we are online all the time? My suggestion here is to take it down a notch. Be in your moment, plan when you'll take pictures and video and upload when you're back at your hotel for the evening or maybe even when you get back from your vacation. Unplug! You may find you're are actually living in the moment, not just posting the moment.
Smoking: This one may seem obvious, but this is a really important addiction to quit before you set out to travel the world. Not only is it becoming increasingly difficult to find places to smoke in public, but those long flights are challenging enough without the added stress of needing a cigarette. There are many resources to help you kick the habit like gum, the patch, hypnosis or even the electronic cigarette. Although, you can't smoke them onboard most aircraft there are many airports that allow you to smoke the electronic version.
Cursing: Trust me on this one. You may come from an area or a family where you feel comfortable swearing, but rest of the world may not agree with you. Cursing comes off to many as rude and/or uneducated. You also may be around a lot of children whose parents will not appreciate the colorful language, especially in more confined areas like airplanes. Traveling gives you a great opportunity to meet people from all different cultures, don't turn people off from your amazing self because of four letter words.
Biting your finger nails: This habit can make you sick, possibly more sick than it ever has when you are traveling. Traveling exposes you to a wider range of people and therefore a wider range of germs. Try chewing gum instead, just remember to not sound like a cow! I remember my first year as a flight attendant my immune system went through quite a transformation. I was sick a lot. I soon learned to develop healthier habits like drinking lots of water and washing my hands every chance I got and most importantly keeping my hands away from my face.
Over spending: Shopaholics beware! It is important to figure out your budget ahead of your trip so you're not tempted to over spend on your vacation and/or travels. Not only is this not good for your wallet -- you certainly don't want to be paying for your travels years after you're home -- but it's also not good for your limited packing space. Remember that everything you buy will need to come home with you. If you are not prepared to ship it or fit in your suitcase, think twice before purchasing. Also, keep in mind that some airlines charge for extra or overweight baggage.
What bad habits do you think are important to unpack? Let us know in comments!