If you and your family has ever denied yourselves time-off because you couldn’t line up a serious getaway, consider the advantages of a staycation. When it comes to taking a break from the work-a-day world, rocking your slippers at home (instead of shades on a beach) just might be one of the most underrated and worry-free ways to recharge. Here are eight ways to indulge on your next vacation from home:
- Check out a community center class. There are a lot of community activities and engagement opportunities that are only available during standard work hours. Check out what’s available in your community. You never know what new hobby you might pick up or what new friends you’ll make!
- Enjoy backroad scenery. On a day-to-day basis, you’re probably taking predictable routes, seeing the same sites, and getting a little too comfortable with the familiar. Now’s your time to head out for a drive, turn down a street you’ve never been on, and find a country road that begs for rolled-down windows and new discoveries.
- Schedule nothing. Make time for spontaneity. If your life tends to be hyper-scheduled, an empty void in your calendar could feel threatening. Relax: Wake up when you’re done sleeping, do whatever sounds like fun in the moment, and indulge in not knowing what time (or day) it is.
- Do something random. Take a chance on something you typically don’t have time for. Make French toast for lunch, visit the 85-year-old widower across the street, wear something crazy, or shop at a store you haven’t been to. Anything at all, really. You’ll wonder what took you so long.
- Rummage through a closet or attic. No need to wait for “spring cleaning,” and no need to focus on the cleaning part. Settle in and see what you can find. Get lost in a shoebox of old photos, look through old yearbooks, or recharge with a full-on closet inventory. Whatever you find, it’ll give you an opportunity to disconnect from every other day.
- Get lost in a hobby. Seems like there’s never enough time to immerse yourself in a hobby, so now’s the time. Put responsibilities on hold and feed some passions. Bust out your paints, guitar, hiking boots, crossword puzzle, garden tools—whatever activity brings you joy.
- Be a tourist in your own town. Look into the local visitor center or find a walking tour for a deep dive into known (and lesser known) attractions. Seek out unfamiliar parts of the city. Pursue your own corps of discovery to experience the local architecture, history, and art.
- Turn up the tunes. Is that a dance party in your kitchen? It should be. And when was the last time you checked out the local music scene? Music, after all, is the food of love. By cutting loose and singing till your heart is full, you’ll re-energize—and burn extra calories while you’re at it.