Make Your Staycation Truly Relaxing

Make Your Staycation Truly Relaxing Stress Management Situational Stress Print How to Make Sure You Have a Relaxing Staycation By Elizabeth Scott, MS twitter Elizabeth Scott, MS, is a wellness coach specializing in stress management and quality of life, and the author of 8 Keys to Stress Management. Learn about our editorial policy Elizabeth Scott, MS Updated on January 23, 2020 Hero Images / Getty Images More in Stress Management Situational Stress Effects on Health Management Techniques Job Stress Household Stress Relationship Stress A staycation, a vacation you take at home, can be a wonderful alternative to a long, expensive, painstakingly-planned tripâ€"the time and money you can save are significant. However, if you don’t take certain precautions, your staycation can be little more than a stressful extension of everything you need a break from. Tips for Having a Super Staycation These staycation strategies can assure that your staycation is truly a relaxing romp rather than a wasted week. Turn off the Phone This sounds obvious, but the point of a staycation is to have a vacation, and the point of a vacation is to get away from the demands of your regular life. To truly do so, you need to stop being on call and set your phone to go straight to voicemail. You can check your messages each night if you want to and decide who you want to call back, but it may be a good idea to tell everyone you won’t be around for a week and just take a break. While you’re at it, why not put your mail on hold and any other similar steps you’d take when you go on a traditional vacation? Turn off the Computer While many, many people make the mistake of taking work with them when they go on vacation, a strategy that tends to sabotage the relaxing element of a trip, it’s even more important to avoid being available for work when you’re on a staycation. It may be more tempting to check in at work if youre at home, and they may feel more entitled to request it of you, which is all the more reason for the computer to stay off. Even if you’re not planning to work on your computer, do you really think a week of playing World of Warcraft or Weboggle would be as relaxing and memorable as other options you have? Try Something New Staycations mean you can play hometown tourists and enjoy the fun things that your city or surrounding areas have to offer, which you normally might not go out of your way to experience. An added benefit of going to the touristy places in your area is that when you pass by these places after your staycation is over, your fond memories will be triggered and you can relive the fun. You may also be more inclined to do such fun things during the rest of the year when you’re not vacationing, which might provide a nice little escape that can help stave off burnout. But Don’t Overbook Yourself As you indulge in the fun that your town has to offer, remember to schedule in some downtime to read, relax, sleep in, lollygag, and do all the things people really like to do on traditional vacations. Fun and Relaxation The idea of a staycation is to feel like you’ve had a break, so be sure you get one by adding in time for rest. Just balance it out with fun activities, too. Don’t Be Afraid to Splurge Because you’re saving money by staying close to home, you can (and should) eat meals out and splurge in other areas, just like you would on a traditional vacation. If you want to go to brunch, get a massage, go shopping, or even hire a cleaning service to come if you don’t already have one (you’d get maid service in a hotel, right?), you should do so guiltlessly if you can afford to. It contributes to the carefree mindset you’re trying to capture with your staycation. Splurging makes all the difference between a staycation and just a week hanging around the house.