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5 Ways To Find Peace And Relaxation On The Road

This post was updated on March 15th, 2024

There’s no denying that full-time travel life is exciting. After all, how could driving your home wherever you roam, visiting the country’s greatest sights, and meeting new people not be amazing?

That said, sometimes all that excitement is just a bit too much. In fact, some travelers get so wrapped up in the fun and thrill of traveling all the time that they forget to relax—something that is completely unhealthy, as well as a quick road to burnout.

For this reason, as a full-time RVer, I make a point of relaxing at regular intervals in between all of the exciting things we see and do. Finding ways to do this can be difficult at times, but it is 100% worth it when I’m able to enjoy our adventures feeling refreshed, relaxed, and at ease.

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Looking to add more relaxation to your traveling lifestyle? Here are my best tips for getting started.

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All images via Unsplash

1. Travel slowly

Super-fast travel is fun from time to time. However, in my opinion, it isn’t something that should be done constantly.

Instead, we choose to take a slower pace. This allows us to travel shorter distances, meaning we can stop to stretch along the way and meander from one location to the next instead of stressing out about a late-night arrival. It also means we stay in one place for longer stretches of time.

This is great because it gives us the opportunity to see everything we want to see without squeezing it all in. We are then able to consciously build days dedicated to relaxation into our schedule, something that is so important and yet so overlooked.

If you’re a full-time RVer, you probably have the luxury of a fairly flexible schedule along with retirement income or location-independent work. Why not take advantage of that and create a slower pace of life for yourself? This will leave you feeling more relaxed and full of energy. As a bonus, it could also lead to unexpected discoveries, something that all adventurers appreciate.

2. Download a sound app and put up shades

Because we like to meander slowly from one destination to the next, we do sometimes find ourselves sleeping in a parking lot halfway between two campgrounds. This is fine considering we have our own beds with us wherever we go, and because we’re at home in our RV, these stops are almost completely stress-free.

The one problem is the noise and light that often comes with overnights in parking lots. In order to combat the usual parking lot sounds, we’ve downloaded a relaxing iPhone sound app called Thunderspace. It’s very relaxing and has several great rainstorm recordings that we adore.

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Screenshot source: Thunderspace

As far as light goes, we’ve found that blackout shades fix this problem entirely. Don’t have blackout shades? Try hanging towels or lightweight blankets over the windows.

A good night’s sleep is important for your mental health and safe driving, and these simple changes are well worth the improved sleep quality you’ll get in return.

3. Take up yoga and meditation

Yoga and meditation are both great ways to induce a relaxed state of mind. They’re both easy to do wherever you are, and both can be self-taught.

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Image source: Unsplash

For those who prefer the social aspect of yoga, clubs and classes are often offered at campgrounds. If your campground doesn’t offer any such thing, try heading to the local library or park. Even some coffee shops offer yoga sessions. These tend to be free or cheap, and drop-ins are almost always welcome, making this a great activity for staying fit, relaxed, and healthy while on the road.

As far as meditation goes, I adore the Headspace iPhone app for getting started. The Mindfulness App is also super nice, especially for those who’ve had a bit of meditation experience in the past.

4. Create a quiet space

Depending on how many people are traveling in your RV, you may find that space is limited, meaning that personal space is hard to come by and silence is basically nonexistent.

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In these cases, finding a few minutes of peace each day can seem impossible. Instead of attempting to kick everyone out, why not take yourself out of the RV and into your own quiet space?

A small, easy-to-set-up tent can be the perfect haven for those who need some alone time to recharge. Fill the tent with pillows and books, add a fan for comfort, and make a point of spending some time in this relaxing space each day.

If you notice the rest of your family could use alone time as well, set up a schedule dictating who can use the tent and when, making sure everyone gets a turn each day.

5. Head into nature

Very few things help us relax as well as nature does. We are animals after all, and we are truly at home in nature. Find the natural setting that feels most relaxing to you and take advantage of it as often as possible.

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Photo via Unsplash

For some this will mean sitting on the beach and staring at the ocean; for others, it may mean standing in the woods staring up into the mighty trees. When you go to your relaxation spots in nature, take your shoes off and feel the earth on your feet, sit down and breathe in the fresh air, and do your best to clear your mind of the stresses of everyday life. You might be surprised how great you feel afterward.

These are my best tips for finding peace in the crazy world of travel. These aren’t the only ways, or even necessarily the best ways for everybody. They are a great starting place though! Go ahead and give them a try. Take what works and add to it, finding your peace and relaxation along the way.

Read more: 7 Reasons Why RVing Is Good For Your Mind, Body & Soul




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