Planning, packing driving, flying, and more can make taking a vacation feel like taking on more stress. Take a break instead by having a staycation that fully focuses on relaxation.
Staycations are a stress-free way to recharge. Unlike your standard vacation, a staycation is easy on you and easy on your budget. It lets you take care of yourself with little or no strenuous planning.
Staycations Are Low-Stress by Design
Sure, planning a vacation can be exciting. Anticipation is part of the fun. However, it can also be stressful. You have to book flights, find accommodations, organize an itinerary, and navigate airport security. The stress from handling all the logistics can make it hard to really rest and relax.
A staycation requires little planning and no travel time. You get to skip the long lines and unexpected delays. You just do what you’d like to do (or not do) each day, spending your time only on what you need and want.
More Time for Self-Care
Having more time to take care of yourself may mean indulging in spa-like treatments, enjoying long baths, or doing creative things like painting, writing, or cooking.
Right away, you can establish a peaceful, restorative environment that genuinely fosters relaxation. Perhaps you do it by setting up a spa day in your home with candles, essential oils, and soothing music; perhaps by getting caught up in a good book, blissfully free of interruptions and distractions.
Explore Hidden Gems in Your Town
Many of us live near parks, museums, and other attractions that we’ve never fully explored, maybe even never really noticed. On a staycation, you have the chance to be a tourist in your own city and discover restaurants, shops, art galleries, and hiking trails.
You don’t need a plane ticket to enjoy the adventure and novelty of visiting a nearby botanical garden or scenic vista.
Friendlier on the Budget
Vacations often come with a hefty price tag: the costs of flights, hotel stays, dining out. These expenses are another source of stress. Staycations are, obviously, more affordable, since you don’t have to worry about budgeting for a lot of travel costs.
Because you’re saving money, you can feel good about treating yourself to a day at the spa, a fancy dinner, a new book, or a new movie—small and not-too-pricey indulgences that will make your time off even more enjoyable.
Focus on Well-Being
When you’re on staycation, you can follow an easygoing schedule that is more conducive to your health and well-being. You can sleep in, take naps, or follow a new exercise routine without the interruptions and preoccupations of travel.
Yoga, meditation, and even lounging around without an agenda can reduce stress and improve mental clarity. You can also nourish your body with healthy, homemade meals instead of the excesses that often tempt you when you’re on vacation.
Your Own Personal Way to Relax
Vacations often mean trying to make the most of your time in an unfamiliar place, which can be exhausting. A staycation allows you to relax in ways that you enjoy without feeling you have to see the sights or do other vacation-type things.
Stock up on your favorite snacks and load your fridge with relaxation-enhancing beverages like THC drinks. Create a playlist of your favorite songs. Try a new hobby. Do all the fun and relaxing things you normally don’t have time for.
Make the Most of Your Staycation
Set boundaries so that your staycation feels like a real vacation. Turn off work notifications, hide to-do lists, let family and friends know you’re taking time for yourself, and add that automatic on-vacation notification to your email.
Schedule a few simple activities, but don’t feel that you need to plan anything in great detail. Sometimes, the best way to take care of yourself is to give yourself the freedom to do absolutely nothing.
