121. Booked & Burned Out: Why Luxury Travel Isn’t Just a Treat — It’s A Prescription for Well Being

Booked, burned out, and running on empty? Imagine a getaway prescribed just for your weary brain—where concierge decisions, pillow menus, and sunrise yoga replace to-do lists. This episode is your short course in luxury travel for burnout: thoughtful, restorative escapes that actually help you come back human again.

Other Episodes Mentioned:
Episode 105: Mental Health Awareness Month: Mental Health Benefits of Travel
Episode 117: Summer’s Not Over Yet! Last Minute Luxury Travel Getaways You Can Still Book

Connect with Michele on IG: @jetsettingwithmichele or on Facebook: www.facebook.com/groups/MMTinsiders

Contact Michele to plan your next vacation: www.makinmemoriestravel.co/contact

This episode was produced by The Podcast Teacher: www.ThePodcastTeacher.com.

Transcript

Hello jet setters. Welcome back to another episode of Jet Setting with me. How are we all doing? Are you booked, burned out and running on empty? Me too. So imagine a getaway prescribed just for you and your weary brain where concierge decisions, pillow menus, sunrise yoga on the beach, replace to do lists. This episode is your short course in luxury travel for burnout. Thoughtful restorative escapes that actually help you come back feeling human and not like you need a vacation from your vacation. I was gone for most of June and July for travel related conferences. A lot of flying, which means a lot of airports, which means a lot of frustration, anxiety, needing to pack my patience and I returned home on August 1st and my last week was two conferences back to back at a resort in Jamaica.

And it was a very very emotional week and I came home feeling a lot of issues from my past that had come up. So I was feeling very triggered, very vulnerable. And to add to that, I am an only child and a sole caretaker of my senior mother. So I needed to clear my schedule in order to help her as she recovered from major surgery that was not so easy after having been gone for as long as I was. So this only put me further behind my to do's, my planning and well, life in general. I can feel you nodding along with me. I know that you get this and I don't even have back to school to worry about so I definitely feel you. So I am the kind of tired that coffee cannot fix.

I have mental fog, I have an achy body. I have the scroll at midnight reflex. I have a calendar that feels way heavier than it should for this time of the year. Which is why today's pod is about luxury travel for burnout. This is not about traveling as an indulgence. It's not about a one off treat. It is a proven tool to reset your nervous system and reclaim clarity. If you don't believe me, check out episode 105.

In honor of Mental Health Awareness Month in May, I talked about the true documented mental health benefits of all travel. But in today's episode we're going to talk about three travel reset models, a micro rest, a wellness immersion and a slow getaway. We're going to talk about what each one delivers. Practical low energy ways to plan them so that the trip actually helps you and doesn't add to a checklist. So no pressure, no guilt, real options for all of us who are literally tired of being tired. So I am going to just review quickly why travel helps those of us who are booked and Burned out. Well, it's a controlled novelty. And that equals dopamine plus calm.

Think of a new coast, a vineyard. I love a good sunrise. Those give small dopamine hits and it doesn't have the stress of unpredictability. So it's a little more uplifting, it's a little more restorative. A change of scenery will always reset the brain. That's why a lot of people just get up and walk for a few minutes every hour. Just seeing something different helps you reset your brain. New sights, smells, rhythms break the thought patterns and it interrupts stress loops.

So letting your mind shift from go mode to restful curiosity can help with your decision fatigue. So when everything is handled for you, think direct flights. Think private transfers from the minute you hit baggage claim. Pre booked experiences so you don't have to think about your day plan. You're going to conserve mental energy that would otherwise be spent on small daily choices. We're gonna reduce your sensory overload. We're gonna curate a luxury environment again, quiet rooms, adults only wings, private pools. We're gonna minimize that noise and that stimulation that helps drop your cortisol and supports better sleep.

Movement and nature equals a psychological reboot. Again, proven light, movement, fresh air time outside. It's gonna improve your circulation, your mood, your sl and luxury that matters. Like a privacy. Again, mentioning privacy, concierge service, tailored pacing, all of these curated shared experiences like private dinners, small group wellness classes. Those provide connection without the emotional cost of large crowds. Thus giving you social restoration. Again, I talk way more in depth than I cite all the the scientific evidence for all of those things in episode number 105.

Now here we have the three luxury reset models. So if you have just 48 hours, a long weekend that is coming up, as I am going to reference here, episode number 117 where I talked about those last minute getaways. We've got a three day weekend coming up. Think luxury city spa escapes, boutique hotels with in room rituals. And best when you have a long weekend. This is a micro rest. It's a short high impact escape that is perfectly designed for busy people like all of us who have a long weekend. It's going to deliver immediate stress relief, improved sleep and a quick mental reboot.

It's enough for you to return to work, more focused and less reactive. Let's talk about a sample day for this 48 hour quick micro reset. In the afternoon you'll arrive, we'll get you a private transfer. You'll go to have a light welcome snack and then a 60 to 90. Oh, please do a 90 minute restorative spa treatment, massage, facial, even a pedicure with a good long foot massage. And then in the evening you can do room service. Ooh. Or have a nice quiet dinner in the signature restaurant at your resort.

Early to bed, of course. You have packed your sleep kit which includes an eye mask, maybe some lavender pillow mistakes to help you sleep. Day two. Gotta get that sunrise in. You've gotta see a beautiful sunrise. Maybe on a walk or doing gentle yoga on the deck of the ship or on the beach. Have a very healthy breakfast. Maybe there's a smoothie bar.

You can have a nap. Or check out the thermal circuit at the spa. We're gonna get you a late checkout so that we have given you the maximum amount of time to have your micro reset. Some tips, some things I'm going to do for you as your travel advisor, I'm going to ask for a quote, soft arrival. What that means is that your room is going to be pre turned down so you don't have to worry about housekeeping coming in late afternoon, early evening to turn down your bed. We're going to have it already done for you when you arrive. Of course, that late checkout, I and I also mentioned private transfers and of course we want to do prepaid gratuities so you don't even have to think about what to tip. You just get to check in and check out.

Biggest decisions that you'll make is what spa treatment to get. Now, let's say you have more time. Let's say you've got a full week. This can be a wellness immersion. It's going to give you more than just a tan. We are talking curated spa programs. Maybe there's even sleep coaching or gentle movement, as I said, yoga, pilates, Maybe they've got that kind of stretch lab experience where it stretches you so good it hurts. And nutrition focused dining.

So it's a week of curated wellness programming. You're going to get daily spa treatments, movement classes, guided downtime for meditation and physiological recalibration. It's going to improve your sleep pattern, your stress reduction tools that you can then take home with you. A metabolic refresh and a clear mindset. It is not therapy, but these services are usually included in this type of weak wellness immersion. It's complimentary. So a sample week would be day one. You arrive, you get a baseline wellness check with someone who is going to be your consultation along the whole week.

A light restorative treatment. Days two and five. You're going to have structured days mixing morning movement, as I said, yoga, Pilates or walking with those therapeutic treatments at the spa like massage, also lymphatic massage, biohacking options, educational sessions on sleep hygiene, breathwork and then of course anti inflammatory menus that are delivered by Michelin starred chefs. The final days we're going to talk about how you integrate this into your departure plan so that you have at home recommendations and follow up resources. And those final days, just lighter activities to let you really enjoy the pool, the spa, the hot tub, all of those good things. This is going to when I book this for you, I'm going to make sure that I request something that includes that initial contact and it's going to be a tailored program rather than just a la carte treatments. Properties like those in Tucson, Miraval Arizona and the Canyon Ranch which is my personal favorite. Canyon Ranch has one on the east coast and then also in Tucson and Miraval has one in Tucson and then in Austin.

So la centrally west coast, east coast, wherever you want to go. These properties do offer that initial consult, sleep coaching, guided meditations and nutritionist check ins if that's really something that you want to monitor. Now if you just want to disappear for a while, we're going to talk about a slow getaway. No schedules, just some space and time to breathe deeply. These are usually at least seven days, sometimes up to 10. We're talking a private villa in the Tuscan valley, a vineyard stay or a soft adventure like a river or an ocean cruise with lots of downtime. The this is what we all need for a full mental reboot. It is an unhurried long form travel, plenty of unscheduled time, but lots of curated luxury experiences.

We are talking private chefs, slow wine tastings, gentle day trips. It's going to deliver to you a deep mental declutter, sustained sleep and circadian rhythm alignment. Oh my God, I love a good circadian rhythm alignment. You're going to have time to process long lasting perspective shifts. This is the model for when burnout is more than a short term blip. This is what I'm about to do. I know I said I was gone all of June and July, but I've been home all of August. So in September my husband and I are doing a 10 day escape.

It includes multiple sea days on our Virgin Voyage cruise. No kids because it's a Virgin Voyage cruise and many bucket list experiences that we have planned. So two to three days of arrival, settling in, getting used to the time change. We have that planned In London, we have two to three days of curated experiences. We have a private tour in Amsterdam, for example, that's going to take us to finally see the Anne Frank house. Never seen it. And a Jewish tour of Amsterdam. So for you, this could be vintage tours, like what we're doing.

It could be a private cooking class. You know, I always love a good cooking class. I talk about them all the time. We're going to do one in Bordeaux. We have scenic drives included. Going to bath, from London to bath, that's a scenic drive for you. A few days of pure slow time. Think reading, a good nap.

Who doesn't love a nap? Maybe walking the ship or the villa that you're staying in, walking around the property, all of these things. And then of course, a final day that gives you just a simple way to bring some of these things that you've been doing home with you. So things that we're going to do to help you have that full experience is if you're in a house or a private villa, we're going to have a full chef, we're going to have a house manager who's going to be able to book massage therapists and facialists and pedicure and manicures, all that come to you. We're going to have a pre arrival grocery list. So your pantry is stocked with your preferred teas, your snacks and your sleep aids. Let's say you're going to a hotel. We might not have the private chef and the house manager, but we're going to have a concierge. Make sure that your minibar is fully stocked the way you want it.

Same thing for a river or an ocean cruise. So all of these things can be prearranged when you book with me. So let's talk about low energy planning tips, because if you're like me and you're in the throes of decision fatigue, you don't want to add planning a wellness escape to your already full to do list. So use a travel advisor. I'm going to help you reduce that decision fatigue. I'm going to be able to delegate menus and menu planning to a chef that can do everything that you have in your heart and mind. Your private transfers are such a big deal. Imagine going to baggage claim and having someone help you take your luggage from baggage claim or even your carry on and walk with you out to the car where you have bottled water waiting for you because you've been dehydrated for two to four to six to eight hours on a plane.

I am going to give you a bespoke personalized itinerary with a schedule so you don't have to think about it. We are going to book travel that is going to minimize that need to pack your patients. So a direct flight, a late checkout, an early check in prearranged amenities. We're going to make sure you have blackout curtains. Of course. I'm going to make sure that you pack your reset eye mask, magnesium spray, your favorite tea, compression socks, your noise canceling earbuds. All of those are on the packing list that I'm going to help you with. We're going to have you preload low decision entertainment for your flights or for when you're waiting for things like an audiobook, a playlist or a guided meditation.

So a gentle reminder if exhaustion is chronic or it's impacting your daily function, you can always consult with a healthcare professional. Travel is definitely a help. I am living proof of that. But it is not a substitute for medical care. I do both. So I appreciate your time today. I appreciate that you are being honest with yourself and sort of with me because you're nodding along. I feel you.

I see you about how tired you are for me being vulnerable with you. This was a big first step for me toward my reset. So if you're ready to test the idea that luxury travel for burnout can actually be more than a vacation, it can be a reset. Let's make it simple. Let's make it low effort. If this episode resonated, I want to hear from you. I really, really do. Share your burnout story.

Share how? We're going to get you a reset story via an email or a direct message. Maybe we'll feature your story as inspiration in a future episode. Also, as a bonus for all of you who have listened all the way to the end, if you send me a DM that says Reset checklist, I am going to send you a checklist that talks all about your best packing steps and how to layer yourself for travel day. All the things that you can do like down to meta, like turning on your out of office email. These are all on that checklist and I would love to send it to you. It is, as I said, a simple reset checklist. All you have to do is DM me checklist and it's on its way to you until next week. Which by the way is National Beach Day.

So imagine we're going to talk all about the best beaches in the world. I will see you then. Until then, safe and happy travels.