Most vacations begin with packing a suitcase and booking a ticket to whisk me away to some exotic place for a week. However, sometimes due to finances or commitments at home I am unable to actually ‘get away from it all’. Yet I still want to designate that week as my ‘vacation’. Now what do I do? Why, I have a ‘staycation’ of course!
So I put back my luggage, tucked that passport away because this vacation doesn’t need a lot of preparation.
Of course without some planning, my vacation may end up consisting of me puttering around my home. For my successful ‘staycation’ I find it prudent to section off certain days for certain activities. One method I use is to have my vacation consist of 1 task day, 3 fun days and 1 relaxation day. With this method I finally tackle a task that gets swept under the rug, I get to experience some adventures and I get to relax and do ‘nothing’.
One Task
My windows need cleaning but the job seems so daunting. During my ‘One Task’ day I roll up my sleeves and just begin. No dawdling, no flipping on the TV. I try to commit to completing it in one day (if possible). The task should be something that I can physically handle myself and that can be accomplished in one day such as: specific cleaning, de-cluttering, small paint jobs, etc. When I include a ‘One Task’ day in my vacation I tackle it early on so I can then enjoy the next phase of my week off-which is:
Three Fun
Now is the time to get to the museum and slowly wander through it. Or perhaps I want to catch a play or ride on a bus that takes me through the downtown core? Sometimes, acting like a tourist is the best way to experience my city. Other fun activities could involve bowling, swimming in a community pool, choosing an area in the city that is known for their interesting shops or restaurants. I often try to find a tourist guide brochure for my city for more ideas.
In the Toronto area, I checked out: http://www.seetorontonow.com/
One Relaxation
Today is the day I do nothing at all. Stay in my pajamas. Then I can either binge watch a TV series, or have my own ‘comedy’ day and watch comedy films (or film noir or any other genre I like). A large array of snacks during my own mini-movie festival is recommended. Or I may spend the day lost in a book. An afternoon nap may be in order during my relaxation day.
With some thoughtful planning, vacations in my own backyard can be one of the most relaxing and rewarding vacations I have ever had. And there is no un-packing when it is over-which is a huge plus in my books!
