It’s that time of year again… travel season. Since many folx are road tripping, jetsetting, and otherwise getting out of their homes in the coming months, I’ve created a travel routine guide to help you avoid tanking your usual routines when you set off to enjoy the holidays or escape to sunnier areas of the world.
We’ve all been there. You’re waking up at the right time semi-consistently, getting some movement in, hitting your morning drink rituals, AND squaring away dependent or pet care. Then, you set off for a few days of fun, arrive home, and you’re back to trying to cram all your usual things into the early hours, essentially undoing all the rest and relaxation you just got.
Using the 4×4 Method to Develop a Morning Routine for Travelers
My good friend Julia has a great approach to developing and sticking to a routine – the 4×4 method. The idea is that you have an adjusted routine for different types of days. Let’s use the morning routine as an example. Here are the types of mornings Julia describes:
- Ideal Morning: the one you want to do all the time
- Energized Morning: when you wake up with a little extra nervousness or overthinking
- Burn Out Morning: when you wake up extra tired
- Bad Mood Morning: when you wake up and choose violence, this routine includes a little extra self-care
Each of these routines relies on baseline habits to create continuity between them. After all, we wouldn’t want to have to do a totally different thing depending on the day. Instead, include the foundational habit in all of these. Mine is making the bed, since I need an organized bedroom or I’ll go crazy. Other baseline habits might include drinking water or using skincare. Use your discretion in picking this one!
But what about a fifth scenario, when you’re out of town?
4×4 Travel Routines: You’re Gonna Need More Than Energy
The first step here is to determine your existing routines. Use the 4×4 worksheet to figure that out.
The next step is to adapt each one for travel. Take a general approach of planning to do less for your routines while traveling to center your travel plans, as well as rest and recovery from the travel itself.
Though you can afford to make your home routines based mostly on your energy level, you need to consider a few more things as you create 4 similar travel routines. Here are my adapted 4 morning routines for traveling:
- Basic travel morning routine: this is your usual morning routine, but built for the place you’re traveling to. Check ahead for a coffee maker in your hotel room that you can use. If you move every morning, consider if you’ll need to hit a local park for your morning movement or if you’ll have space for some stretches where you’re staying. If your morning routine includes reading or meditation, scope out a place to do that ahead of time.
- Busy day morning routine: this is when you have a crazy day ahead of you. Let’s say your day plan is a miles-long hike before snowboarding down a mountain, and then club hopping into the night. Your morning routine is going to have to draw in and direct some energy to your plans. Do less this morning, and build in time to ground yourself and relax before setting off on your adventure.
- Recharge morning routine: for the days when you have less going on. This morning routine is going to include a little more ✨luxury✨. Say you’re dedicating a day or two to drinking mocktails in the hot tub, watching movies, and gossiping with friends you haven’t seen in a while. This morning, head out to the local coffee shop for a fancy drink in the morning. Do your full makeup routine. Whatever makes you feel pampered to really maximize restoration on your low-key days.
- FUBAR morning routine: unfortunately, travel can sometimes make your life Fucked Up Beyond All Recognition. Suitcases get lost. Flights get delayed. Documents get stolen. Essential items get left behind. This routine gives you time and space to recuperate. Add extra rest to this routine, including sleeping in or some calming movement.
Remember, your baseline habit is still going to be present in all of these.
Example time!
Sticking with the morning routine, here’s what I get when I shift my regular routines into travel routines, based on a trip to New York:
Now, watch as I magically adapt these for Bushwick:
Other Considerations as You Develop Your Travel Routines
What about weekly tasks?
For trips that last a week or longer, keep your weekly tasks in place as much as possible. This means hitting the laundromat on or around Monday and bringing along dermaplaning supplies for my at-home facial on Saturday.
You’ll want to keep these things in place because it’ll be less of a headache when you’re home, mitigating the need to play as much catch-up.
What about changes in my energy?
In general, it’s hard to predict your energy levels when you’re traveling. I usually need 1-3 days to get back up to my usual daily energy after a flight, which means using something more like my FUBAR routine for the adjustment period.
In Conclusion… Travel Routines Should Be Flexible
Don’t beat yourself up if your consistency falls off while you’re traveling. Always bear in mind that the point of a trip should be the trip itself, not your productivity! Even on a business trip, I find that this approach helps, because it prioritizes something other than completing tasks. Your routines should serve your travels, not the other way around.
Curious about creating structure in your life? Try these tips that help me organize my life.
For some extra support in creating your 4×4 travel routines, use the worksheet Julia created!
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