This year everything from school to sports to summer blockbusters has been either disrupted or put on indefinite hold. Even summer vacation has been affected, but that doesn't mean you can't take some intentional time off to rest and recharge with your family.
The benefits of a vacation are clear: reduced stress, improved mental health, and stronger family relationships all come from taking the time we need to rest and recharge. Vacations are even good for our work, as when we return we often have more energy, are more productive, and have more creative insights to solve problems.
Time off has never been more necessary. But in 2020 we face a unique challenge: how do we get all the benefits of a change of scenery without being able to travel? Enter the staycation – taking your time off from work at home. The phenomenon of the staycation isn’t new (the word first appeared in 2005), but this year may be when the concept reaches peak popularity.
One of the greatest stresses of traveling – the actual logistics of getting from here to there – aren’t a factor. But that doesn’t mean a staycation is easy!
Don’t forget to plan ahead
Staying at home, it can be easy to slip out of the magical mental space of vacation. Make a schedule to help avoid your daily routine, but don’t forget to include free time. It seems counter intuitive that more structure would lead to a more satisfying vacation. After all isn’t freedom the opposite of work? Not exactly. According to a 2010 report in the journal Applied Research in Quality of Life, 28% of people who said they had a bad vacation also said they left planning to the last minute. Plan ahead, and once you are on staycation be extra careful not to check your work email. Maybe consider hiding your computer under a sheet or in the closet!
Now that you are making your vacation schedule, what should you plan to fill your days?