Decision fatigue is having too much to think about. Your mind is overloaded with decisions and it can become overwhelming.
What will I wear? How much should I take? Where will I stay? How will I get there?
Sound familiar?
Learning to travel light really can reduce decision fatigue.
The many benefits of traveling light didn't come to light (haha!) for me until I was on the road in the midst of my travels or afterwards looking back. Decision fatigue was one of these. I hadn't heard the term until recently but when I heard it - it was like a light-bulb moment.
It completely resonated with me and my light travels.
Travel does not get much easier than this.
Avoid decision fatigue with a minimal travel wardrobe.
With a minimal wardrobe a lot of decisions are taken out of your hands!
When you only have three tops and three bottoms your choices are limited. But in carefully selecting these pieces you know that whatever combination you wear them in, they work well together.
Keeping my travel wardrobe simple and easy.
Pre-booking helps decision fatigue.
My first solo trip was more organised than you can imagine. I joked, that it was so well organised that I called it my "customised tour for one."
I did this because it was my first time travelling solo for many years, and safety was my biggest concern. I needed my family to have a fairly good idea of where I was staying and where I was hiking on any given day.
The moment that I realised how much freedom this pre-planning gave me on the road, was on a train trip from Rome to Salerno on the Amalfi Coast.
Sitting opposite me was a young couple looking at what they would do in Amalfi, looking at accommodation options, booking places, checking out restaurants.
I was gazing out the window watching the countryside literally whizz by as the train hit astronomical speeds. I tried to calculate the speed of the train by guessing the cars speed and the speed in which we were flying past them.
I got out my maps.me app on my phone to see what places we were were passing. The arrow on the app signifying my placement was literally moving before my eyes. I could not believe the pace at which were moving through the Italian countryside. All my photos from this stage of my trip are just a blurr.
At one point I realised Montecassino was approaching - a significant WWII site in New Zealand history. I was really excited to see this - having not realised it was on route - and at this this point thought my husband would have definitely stopped here.
Well, Montecassino flew past. I was like, woah, slow the train down. I tried not to blink as I was already missing so much. My usual daydream mode of thinking about those soldiers was cut short by the mountain disappearing and moving onto the next rural Italian scene.
My fellow passengers, heads buried in their phones, busy with their planning, missed all this.
A blurry photo, from the high-speed train, of Montecassino.
Doing your homework before you go makes for easy travel.
So when I got off the train in Salerno, I knew which bus I was catching. I knew where the bus stops were - although this didn't really help me, as I missed my bus stop because I was so overwhelmed with the stunning coastline and petrified by the driving ahead of me.
It's little wonder that I missed my bus stop, as it was probably one of many moments that I had my eyelids clamped shut out of pure fear of crashing.
Getting off at the Amalfi bus stop there was no stress. Although had I been a more dramatic person I may have kissed the ground for arriving alive. Anyway, I already knew that my accommodation back in Atrani was only a seven minute walk back through the tunnel or around the narrow road.
I took the picturesque route, clinging to the handrail as the trucks and buses narrowly passed - but I did get one of my favourite photos on this precarious corner!
No decision fatigue here. No stress. All good. Easy travel!
The road between Amalfi and Atrani. I loved this spot because it was between two very different worlds.
If no decisions are required I can just live in the moment.
On so many occasions on this and other travels, I have found this pre-planning has helped take a lot of stress out of the moment. I love sitting back and just taking it all in.
That doesn't mean that I don't have spontaneity - far from it - but the crucial things that I know I get stressed and worked up about are all sorted.
Arriving at a destination has always been my weakest time. It's the unfamiliarity, the busyness of a place, the chaos. So my planning cuts through a lot of this. Traveling by myself - this becomes even more important.
On arrival in Rome Central Terminii - I was really nervous. But on Google Maps on street-view I had literally seen where I needed to walk to my hotel that was just around the corner.
I took a right out of the station, crossed the pedestrian crossing, turned right, first left, and 50m down on the left was my hotel - just as I had seen it on street-view!
I didn't look like a bamboozled tourist. I didn't need to stop and check my phone for instructions. I knew exactly where I was going.
No decision fatigue here. Amalfi, Italy.
Reduce your travel stress by taking less!
There are so many positives about traveling light. You know I'm a huge fan of it.
Many of the benefits didn't really come to light until well into my travels, and then on reflection back home.
Of course, with my traveling light communities on Facebook and Instagram, I get to connect a lot with people who have also converted to this travel style. We encourage each other and learn from each other.
You can take a lot of stress out of your travels by just taking less. Avoid packing for every possible scenario. Don't double-up on gear - one pair of sports shoes really is enough. And my golden rule - Make sure everything mixes and matches - even your shoes!
I do love my rose-gold Havaiana's.
Want some tips on traveling light in style?
You can still travel light AND look stylish.
Check out my blog on still looking fabulous while traveling with a compact travel wardrobe, in "How to travel light in style."
And for my full story on my first solo/light travel experience, check out my book, Dare to Travel Solo: Exploring Croatia and Italy with a light carry-on bag and a ton of determination.
Simple wardrobe and packing tips will have you ready to hit the road once we're back in travel mode.
In the meantime...happy travel planning!
Katherine
