Burned Out? Here’s How to Plan a Trip That Actually Restores You

Bydaydreamsandwanderlust_yhbzb8

A 6-Step Guide to Creating Travel That Heals, Not Exhausts

You’re exhausted — not just tired.
The kind of burned out that seeps into your bones and makes even dreaming of a vacation feel like… more work.

You scroll past breathtaking destinations and all-inclusive resorts thinking, “That looks amazing… but I don’t even have the energy to plan something like that.”
And if you’ve taken a vacation while running on fumes before, you know how that ends:
You come home needing a vacation from your vacation.

That’s not what we’re doing anymore.

Let me walk you through how to build a trip that restores you — from the inside out. No itinerary stress. No pressure to perform. Just a soft landing, designed by you, for you.

A woman attempts to close an overloaded suitcase by standing on it, surrounded by clothes.

🌿 Step 1: Start With How You Want to Feel When You Come Back

Not what you want to do.
Not where you want to go.

Ask yourself:
“When I return from this trip, how do I want to feel in my body? In my mind? In my life?”

Maybe it’s rested. Inspired. Empowered. Playful.
That feeling becomes the compass for every decision — from destination to dinner reservations.

Example:
If your answer is “I want to feel like I can breathe again,” you might not want to stuff 12 cities into 6 days. You might need one city, a balcony, and someone to bring you espresso in the morning.

🛫 Step 2: Book Your Return Flight First

It sounds counterintuitive, but if you’re burned out, you’re probably always in go mode.
So booking your return flight first does two things:

  1. It gives you a clear boundary — a finish line.
  2. It reminds you that this trip isn’t about squeezing everything in. It’s about making space.

You can expand from there, but this simple shift changes the entire energy of your planning.

💫 Step 3: Build In Your Travel Rituals

No matter where you go, bring a little you with you.

  • A favorite playlist for the plane
  • A travel candle or mist that grounds you in unfamiliar hotel rooms
  • A journal + prompt you only use when you’re abroad

These aren’t extras — they’re anchors. They regulate your nervous system and make the trip feel like it belongs to you.

🧘‍♀️ Step 4: Plan for Spaciousness, Not Schedules

You don’t need to do everything.
You don’t need to get the most out of your trip.
You need to get the best out of it — and that means spaciousness.

Choose one activity per day. The rest is yours to claim.
And if a day turns into doing absolutely nothing except feeling the sun on your skin?
That’s success.

Pro tip: Build in what I call a “Do Nothing Day” — especially in the middle of your trip. You’ll come out of it more energized than if you packed in another walking tour.

🏡 Step 5: Choose Your Lodging Based on Energy, Not Status

Forget the most Instagrammable.
Forget the influencer checklists.

Ask yourself:
Where will I feel most at ease?

  • Do you want the soft quiet of a boutique spa hotel?
  • A place with a breakfast nook where you can linger in a robe?
  • A walkable neighborhood with no pressure to “see the sights” every second?

You deserve a space that holds you, not hypes you up for strangers on the internet.

🔁 Step 6: Make Reentry Part of the Plan

Burnout isn’t solved by travel — but the right trip can shift something inside so you return with more clarity, peace, and capacity.
So ask yourself:

  • What can I do in the last 24 hours of this trip to ease the transition home?
  • Can I journal my takeaways? Book an extra night to pack slowly?
  • Can I plan a favorite meal or solo date for when I get back?

Coming home with intention is just as important as leaving with one.

Vibrant umbrellas float above a graffitied street in Istanbul, creating a colorful canopy.

🎁 Bonus: You Don’t Have to Do This Alone

You don’t have to white-knuckle your way through another burnout-fueled “escape.”
You deserve a trip that feeds you. That holds you. That reminds you what rest really feels like.

If you’re ready to stop traveling like it’s an emergency exit and start building luxury getaways that feel like coming home to yourself…

👇
Download the Luxe Escape Blueprint
It’s my free guide with 5 luxury trip archetypes, sample destinations, and soul-aligned inspiration to help you imagine your next escape — without the pressure of planning it all yourself.