Welcome to Episode 14 of the Business Oddcast! This week we get brutally honest about holidays — the so-called “relaxation myth” and why they can be anything but restful for neurodivergent brains.

From the social script of “Going anywhere nice?” to packing panic, airport queues, security pat-downs, and the existential crisis of the wrong mustard, we unpack how novelty, noise, and lost routines turn “time off” into full-body admin.

We talk control, safe exits, sensory landmines, and why some of us need a toolkit, a multi-tool (…and apparently a scalpel) just to stay calm. We share family-trip war stories (Center Parcs wins, enforced fun loses), why solo recharge time matters, and how “doing” holidays tied to special interests beat “being” holidays on a beach.

Takeaways: plan outs, protect routine anchors, design trips around genuine interests, and remember — rest isn’t a location, it’s a condition you create.

Please share with anyone you think this topic might resonate with. Send any questions or suggestions to or contact us here: [email protected]

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Together we can build a healthier, happier way to work!

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TIMELINE

00:00:00 - Introduction.
00:00:43 - Hannah's update
00:02:22 - TOPIC OF THE WEEK - The Neurodiverse Hell of Holidays
00:04:24 - Lets look at what a "Holiday" actually is?
00:06:10 - Looking at our past holiday traumas
00:09:20 - Preparing to go on holiday and the packing conundrum
00:10:19 - What clothes do you pick?
00:11:03 - The stress of the airport, flying, security interrogations & queues
00:13:32 - Stuart's Disney story and airport security breach
00:19:25 - Why you need a scalpel in Disneyland
00:20:02 - How holidays remove your control and affect your regulation
00:22:17 - Hannah's French holiday overwhelm story
00:23:50 - Level of prep and stuff that you need to know
00:25:10 - Coping with the vastly altered routine
00:26:05 - Dealing with your partners differing holiday expections
00:27:06 - Cognitive load and how that shows up on a holiday
00:29:04 - The FAMILY holiday...
00:29:54 - The pressure & stress to fit in and look "normal"
00:31:50 - Stuart's childhood holiday story
00:34:03 - Hannah's family holiday story
00:35:57 - Centre Parcs - Stu'd brief review of family holidays
00:37:47 - Changing routines on holiday
00:39:12 - Stu's meltdown, small issues magnified by being on holiday
00:40:40 - What does holiday look like for Hannah & her family?
00:44:30 - A week in hospital
00:45:48 - Diffeing needs for Stu and his wife on holiday
00:47:10 - The hell of "relaxing" and "doing nothing"
00:48:40 - Stu's recollections of globetrotting
00:50:55 - After the holiday, returning to routine on your return
00:52:15 - Does the problem start when you choose a "standard" holiday?
00:56:18 - Holidays used as a measure of success
00:57:02 - Round up and conclusions...
00:57:44 - Send us your holiday stories
01:01:30 - Next Week's Topic - Reunions

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RESOURCES
https://bigmoosecharity.co - Emergency mental health support, Big Moose provides fast and effective therapy for people who are struggling.

https://embrace-autism.com/autism-tests - if this topic responates perhaps you might want to look into the subject a little more. Use these tests to have a clearer understanding of your own neurotype profile.

https://businessoddcast.com/help - our range of resources for Neurodiverse business owners, helping you thrive, survive and live more fulfilling lives.

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