Why you feel like you're forgetting something whenever you travel | Cruising Altitude

I’m a pretty frequent traveler, but that doesn’t mean I don’t have a low-level sense of panic whenever I head to the airport. Did I remember to pack deodorant? Did my passport fall out of my backpack or disappear into a wormhole? Did I turn the lights off in my apartment? Did one of the cats escape unnoticed as I was leaving?

It’s a lot to deal with in my mind, and I’m not alone. On a recent work trip, my editor also revealed that he was on his 47th passport check of the day before 8 a.m., and the more I ask around, the more it seems this is a common experience for many travelers.

“We’re out of our comfort zone and we’re out of a routine that’s familiar to us,” Lori Pennington-Gray, Endowed Professor and Director of the Richardson Family SmartState Center for Economic Excellence in Tourism and Economic Development at the University of South Carolina told me. “Something like a passport is a critical document that we need, and we know that losing it can have some impact to our immediate plans and our immediate experience. That adds a little bit of stress as well – the level of importance.”

Pennington-Gray said it’s normal to feel a little discombobulated when traveling, but she said there are some pretty easy ways to alleviate at least some of that stress.

Why we feel out of sorts when we travel

It all comes down to being out of your usual routine. Even the run-up to a big trip can contribute to stress when departure day comes.

“There’s a lot of preparation that needs to go into it and a lot of moving parts. You’re trying to book possibly flights or transportation and accommodations and activities that you’re going to participate in,” Pennington-Gray said. “It’s usually difficult to manage all those things if you don’t plan in advance.”

And even if you have planned, she added, traveling can throw a wrench in your routine.

To make sure things stay on track, she said, travelers often “have more heightened awareness,” which can lead to that stressed-out feeling.

Even travel professionals frequently feel like things are slightly off when they're on the go.

Nadia Henry, a travel adviser who goes by Sparkle professionally, told me she often wonders if she's forgotten something important.

"My charger, all the time, and whether I locked the house, the front door, did I put my alarm on. I’m always double-checking, of course, to make sure I have my passport, I know that’s a classic one.”

Pennington-Gray also said a burgeoning field of academic research looks at people feeling stressed about leaving work responsibilities behind.

“Sometimes stress is heightened because they’re trying to take their vacation and be away but also maintain the responsibilities they have at home and their place of employment,” she said.

Couldn’t be me, but if it’s you, I encourage you to unplug harder on your next trip.

How to cope

The easiest way to alleviate travel stress is to prepare in a way that feels natural to you. For Pennington-Gray, that means making lists.

“Even though I’m a very seasoned traveler, I still use a checklist all the time,” she said.

I’m not much of a list person, but I have a routine that gets me in the travel zone. It includes laying out my clothes for the flight the night before and packing my toiletries right before I leave.

Beyond the immediate steps related to packing, Pennington-Gray said it’s a good idea to research where you’re going so you arrive prepared for the next steps once you land.

For example, Figuring out how you’ll get from the airport to your hotel in advance can make the whole trip less stressful.

Earlier in the academic year, Pennington-Gray said she was traveling to a relatively remote part of Finland and came across a couple at the airport that had not done that kind of planning.

“(The couple) picked up their bags off the baggage claim and said to us, ‘Could you point us in the direction of the train?’ There was no train. This is a small airport,” she said. Needless to say, the couple seemed stressed as they tried to figure out their alternative next steps.

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Sparkle said she often sets reminders on her phone for packing essentials and leaves must-have items by the door or in her car before she leaves. For her clients, she sends a packing checklist five days before departure.

Bottom line

Whether you travel all the time or take one or two trips a year, removing yourself from your routine can leave you feeling off-kilter.

To reduce your stress and help yourself relax on your travels, it’s a good idea to do what you can to prepare in advance.

“My bread and butter is crisis management and safety. Related to that, nowadays, we are in an environment where we are hearing more about situations that are unexpected, whether they’re natural occurrences or manmade, for example, terrorist attacks. The link to anxiety is clearly related,” Pennington-Gray said, so knowing what resources are available in your destination if something goes wrong can also help you feel more secure.

Sparkle added it's a good idea to make sure you have a point of contact at home in case you forget something crucial, like your passport. Anything else, she said, you can probably buy on your trip.

Zach Wichter is a travel reporter for USA TODAY based in New York. You can reach him at zwichter@usatoday.com

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Why do I think I forgot something at the airport | Cruising Altitude