Embracing This Simple Mindset Shift Can Help Tourists Avoid Burnout While Traveling

Traveling internationally is an immensely rewarding experience. It makes you realize that life is full of possibilities, freedom, and adventure. There are plenty of hidden gems around the world just waiting to be discovered. On any given trip, you may have the opportunity to sample mouthwatering food, learn a few words or phrases of a new language, and spend hours wandering the cobblestone streets of an unfamiliar city. Ultimately, travel allows you to experience different cultures in an intimate way and broadens your worldview.

You could spend an entire lifetime traveling, and you still wouldn't be able to see every wonderful destination on the planet. However, that doesn't mean it isn't tempting to try. In fact, many tourists attempt to see as many places as possible in a single trip — and some of them end up with a bad case of travel burnout as a result.

To have the most enriching travel experiences, it's important to realize that travel isn't a contest — nor is it a race. There isn't a trophy at the end of your trip if you stuff your itinerary and visit as many destinations as possible. On the contrary, you'll likely have a much better time if you shift your mindset. Although it may sound like a cliché, when it comes to travel, it really is about quality — not quantity.

After finishing university, I decided to take a job as a flight attendant because I had limited funds and big dreams of seeing the world — and traveling for free is the biggest perk of working in aviation. Among the younger flight attendants, though, there was a common life goal that we called "30 by 30". The idea was to get 30 passport stamps before our 30th birthday. I was 24 when I started, which meant I would need to visit multiple countries each year. I hit the ground running.

Every time I planned a trip, I would try to find a way to visit at least two countries. Even if it was just for a short layover, I wanted to get my passport stamped so I could say I'd been there. On one trip to Europe I visited Spain, Portugal, France, and Italy within ten days. It was a blast, but it was also completely exhausting. Sinus infections and other illnesses were a constant for me during that time because my immune system was so worn down from traveling at such a fast pace.

On one fateful trip to Mexico, I ended up fainting on the beach from dehydration and exhaustion. For the rest of the trip, I had such a bad case of burnout that I could hardly leave the hotel room. This meant that, instead of making the most of my trip and exploring some of Mexico's lesser-known beaches, I slept in my air-conditioned room for the majority of the time. The worst part is that I often felt as though I'd hardly enjoyed some of the destinations I visited. I was so busy moving around that I'd missed out on really experiencing the places and the people. Travel burnout is a real thing, and I learned my lesson the hard way.

The key to overcoming burnout is to travel more, for longer, and for less money. That said, traveling the world is an immense privilege that isn't accessible to everyone. According to a study by the Pew Research Center, roughly 34% of people have visited between one and five countries. Meanwhile, only 13% have visited more than 10.

There's also the issue of cost, which can be a major obstacle. Thankfully, international trips don't have to break the bank. If you carefully plan your trip, it is possible to travel the world on a shoestring budget. Nowadays, budget airlines have made flights more affordable than ever, and you can even find places to volunteer abroad to score free lodging while traveling.

Recently, a new immersive style of vacation called "slow travel" is beginning to grow in popularity. The idea is to stay abroad longer, and move around less. That way, instead of overstuffing your itinerary with tourist hotspots, you can focus on connecting with the people and places you visit. The idea is more than a passing travel trend, though — it's a whole new way of experiencing international destinations while exploring them at a more relaxed pace. When you choose slow travel, you can rent an affordable vacation home in a small village and spend your days visiting local cafes, studying a new language, or even taking a cooking class. At the end of the day, there's no shame in trying to see and do as much as possible on vacation if you're up for it. That said, it's always worth considering which type of trip is right for you and your destination. Whatever you do, don't forget to stop and smell the roses along the way.