How to Take a Self-Care Staycation

What is a "Staycation"?

A staycation is a holiday spent in your home country or at home and includes day trips to local attractions. The idea is to become a tourist in your own country; breaking the usual daily routine and typical habits by spending your time making day trips and engaging in fun activities. Staycations have become super popular in the last few years; they are far less expensive than traditional holidays and eliminate a lot of the stress associated with travel. Choosing to "holiday at home" is a great way to break your regular daily routine without breaking the bank.

The Staycation Rules

If you want to take a staycation there are a few ground rules you should follow; because you'll be at home during this time, it's likely you'll be tempted to fall back into your established routine including checking social media and doing chores. These rules will remove the temptation and ensure a relaxing staycation.

1 | Set a start and end date

Treat your staycation just like you would any other holiday, decide on a start and end date, block this time off and put it in your calendar to make sure you (and everyone else) respects this is your time to relax. It's a good idea to set a budget too, not only will it prevent overspending but it'll help get you in the holiday mindset.

2 | Think like a tourist

When visiting somewhere new you read up about your destination, for a staycation it's no different. Browse guide books or websites to discover interesting things to do during your time off. Create a list of places of interest to visit, restaurants to eat, and things to do. It's a chance to do the things and visit the places you never have the time to do.

3 | Plan your activities ahead of time

If you don't you'll be tempted to fall back into your usual routine. Plan what you want to do during your time off and on what days. Making an itinerary might be a little overboard, however, creating a list of things to do and places to visit along with a rough weekly plan will enable you to make the most of your staycation.

Staycation Ideas

Explore like a tourist

• Visit local museum and art galleries
• Look out for festivals and fairs or free events
• Take public transport to your destination
• Enjoy local nature spots
• Turn off your mobile data!

Get Active

• Enroll in a recreation program
• Go swimming at the pool or beach
• Rent a bike and explore the local area
• Take a creative class to learn a new skill
• Go hiking at your local national park

Stay At Home

• Grow something
• Have a spa day
• Eat a picnic in your garden
• Finish a project you've been working on
• Catch up on your reading (and borrow more from the library)