Top worries Brits have before going on holiday - including a burglary at home

09 August 2023 , 15:13

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One in five holidaymakers have had their home burgled while they were away (Image: Getty Images)

The top worries holidaymakers experience before going away include forgetting something important at home (33%) – and their home being broken into while they are gone (22%).

A survey of 2,000 adults, who have taken a holiday during the last five years, found that almost a fifth (18%) actually have returned home to find their property had been burgled.

And perhaps unsurprisingly, 21% admit they would feel nervous leaving their home unattended – with 78% wishing they, or someone else, could check in on their home while they were away.

A quarter of those polled claim they have come home from their travels to find some sort of disaster, such as stolen packages, a flooded house, or mouldy food – either in the fridge, or accidentally left out.

As such, it would take just five-and-a-half days for the average holidaymaker to start worrying about the contents of their home while they were away.

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The research was commissioned by home security company, Ring, whose managing director for UK, EU & International, Dave Ward, said: “Having an extra layer of security at home when you go away on holiday can help give worried or anxious travellers added peace of mind.

“Investing in smart home security allows holidaymakers to check in on their home while away.”

The study also found 38% of those polled take extra security measures in their home before going away travelling – although 14% still say they would struggle to go away for longer than a week.

And 38% currently have a smart security device with a camera installed at home – with 15% of these claiming they check them frequently.

Other concerns Brits have ahead of a holiday include forgetting their passport (22%) – and what the weather is like wherever they’re headed (27%).

And 35% even claim the stress of getting ready for a holiday puts them off taking time away, according to the OnePoll.com figures.

Paul McKenna, hypnotist and international best-selling author, who worked with Ring on the campaign, said: “Travel anxiety is a common fear that people have – often relating to being away from your home.

“There are several behavioural techniques people can use on themselves, or even loved ones, to manage anxiety – either ahead of travelling, or whilst travelling.”

TRAVEL ANXIETY TIPS FROM PAUL MCKENNA:

1. Recalibrate emotional intelligence by focussing on positive and negative feelings.

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Place your hands in front of you with palms facing up, focus on the anger that’s bothering you, and ask yourself what that feeling would wish to say to you. Hold that feeling in your left hand, and get in touch with it.
Once you have that feeling, think of the opposite feeling – notice how it feels, and place it your right hand.
Move your attention a few inches above your head, and experience both feelings at the same time – your emotional system will work to re-calibrate to experience the difficult emotion at a lower level, as it re-integrates into your emotional intelligence.

2. Relax your system, and tune into your body.

Read the following thoroughly before attempting – and do not try when driving or operating machinery.
To relax the body and the mind, and rid oneself of pre-travel anxiety, repeat the below to yourself in a drowsy, tired, but comfortable voice. Pause to notice your feelings.
Close your eyes and take a deep breath – feel as though you are letting go of pre-travel stress as you exhale, and tell yourself: “Now I relax my eyes”, “Now I relax my jaw”, “Now I relax my tongue”, “Now I relax my shoulders”, “Now I relax my arms”, “Now I relax my hands”, “Now I relax my chest”, “Now I relax my stomach”, “Now I relax my thighs”, “Now I relax my calves”, “Now I relax my feet”, “Now I relax my mind”.
Repeat if necessary.

3. Float into being more relaxed.

Imagine how you would look if you were twice as relaxed as you are feeling now. Imagine floating into that relaxed “you” – see yourself through your relaxed self, hear how it sounds, feel how it feels.
From this place, imagine how you would look if you were twice as relaxed again. Imagine floating into that relaxed “you” – see yourself through your relaxed self, hear how it sounds, feel how it feels.
From this place, imagine how you would look if you were twice as relaxed once again. Imagine floating into that relaxed “you” – see yourself through your relaxed self, hear how it sounds, feel how it feels.

4. Tune into your body, from your head to your heart.

Become aware you're experiencing a stressful feeling, put your hand on your heart and focus in on this area, and take three gentle breaths.
Think of a time when you felt good, and return to how that memory made you feel and the senses you were aware of.
Imagine your heart speaking to you, asking how you can take better care of yourself – listen to your heart’s answer, and act on it when you can.

5. Soothe yourself using a combination of imagination and physical touch.

Pay attention to the stress or anxiety you are feeling and wish to reduce, and notice how stressful it is on a scale of one (least powerful) to 10 (most powerful).
Clear your mind, or think of something nice. Stroke your forehead and your face cheeks repeatedly.
Then, using your hands, stroke from the top of your shoulder down to your elbows – as you are doing this, imagine walking on a beautiful beach, and with each footstep in the sand, count out loud from one to 20.
Continuing to stroke your arms, imagine you are walking outside in a beautiful garden, and with each footstep you take on the grass, count out loud from one to 20.
Tune into your body, and ask yourself how you are feeling on the scale of one to 10.

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