Be honest: when was the last time you purposely went out without your smartphone? The idea alone is probably enough to make you feel anxious. Yet, on holiday, this one simple thing could make all the difference to helping you relax and fully engage in the moment. I know I feel less stressed and more free if I accidentally leave my phone at home – suddenly there’s no onslaught of emails constantly interrupting my already busy day at work with all those other things that need to be done (find washing machine engineer/ book restaurant for girls’ night out/organize class stall for school summer fair). So, on holiday, how nice to take back control of your day and refuse to be interrupted, at least for a few hours. Go on – you deserve it.
As you’ll have noticed, this is our holiday issue packed with great ideas to help you make the most of yours, whether it’s the traditional fortnight in the sun or camping in the UK. So, as well as our great feature on How To Really Relax On Holiday, page 41, which is full of great tips on smartphone management and more, we’ve also got beach beauty page 85 (firmly aimed at those of us aren’t into bikinis, make-up and heels on the sunbed, but would quite like to look our natural best) and how not to derail your health while away (page 50).
And even if you’re not going away this summer you can still get a taste of holiday with our delicious salad and veggie BBQ recipes, page 105, and our feature on the wellbeing benefits of simply getting outside as much as you can, page 30, wherever in the world you are.