When it comes to travelling, almost every traveller tends to go overboard when it comes to spending, living a life of luxury even if it is only for a week or two. Skift reported that international travellers spending rose to $1.4 trillion in 2015, with the overall spending in emerging economies such as India growing by nearly 7%. Overspending is indeed a common problem among many holidaymakers and it is an issue that certainly needs to be addressed. But how do you overcome the urge to overspend?
The answer is will power.
Richard O’Connor wrote in his article for The Telegraph that willpower is the key to combat “nasty little mental habits” that makes most of us overspend.
“The more often you choose the right thing, the easier it will be to do next time. The more you practice willpower, the more willpower you have. The more you believe in your own power to make decisions and influence the course of your life, the happier you’ll be,” O’Connor explained.
In a way, we have to embrace a certain set of disciplines or values from our elders and people we’ve met in our lives that guide us in our daily interactions and decisions with everyday activities, including when we are travelling.
A personal improvement website listed factors that separate a man and a beast to emphasise the significance of self-control. My Self Development said that it is “a necessary habit in all walks of life” and considered the “best trait possible in any individuals.”
The key to gaining self-discipline is focus. A person needs to exert effort to control their mind in every decision making to help them weigh up the right options. Focus is a muscle that you can build if you work on it.
There are various ways on how to train the brain, such as playing video games. Psych2go mentioned that “gaming can stimulate the growth of new neurons, and connectivity in certain crucial regions of the brain” that are responsible for memory, spatial navigation and concentration.
Likewise, slot producer Pocketfruity believes that the most effective technique to improve your focus is through computerised tools, such as video games. “It makes sense to use computerised simulations of the same games to improve response times and mental calculations… Everyone’s brain is an aspect of themselves they can train like any muscle. If you focus on training it using the right methods in the right settings, it can and will do wonderful things,” according to the company’s post entitled ‘Improving Concentration and Focus’.
With a well-focused mind, travellers can practice self-discipline in various ways – especially while embracing different cultures in each travel destination they visit. While indulging in new activities or delectable food may be a once-in-a-lifetime experience, practicing self-control throughout is the wisest and most beneficial way a traveller can save money and live within their means. This is the same reason why websites that promote budget travel guides and tips are very famous online.
Tolerating negative urges and embracing a negative mindset can form adverse effects in our psyches. Both can hinder our path to enjoying the intangible benefits of travelling as well as slowing down our progress towards self-development. The solution is to put our energy into things that really matter and the things we have control control over. Instead of giving into temptation, it’s imperative to do things in moderation and to practice self-disciple, especially when embarking on a new journey in your life. At the end of the day, these trivial details will help us all to appreciate travelling even more. And you never know, you may actually come home with some money in your bank account for once.
