Vacationing from home (AKA Staycation) is what you make of it. One must understand that a staycation and a vacation are NOT the same things.
When you leave your home, not only are you leaving the work of work behind but also the work of the house behind as well. If you stay at home when you ‘vacation’ understand that you need to either embrace the joys of doing the work at home; or let it all fall apart and avoid it if you want to get a sense of a ‘vacation’. Depending on where you are, your only option to vaycay may be in your own backyard.
Here are some suggestions that will provide you with the break that you need
- Pack up the office. Turn on your email responder, leave a voicemail message, and tie up what needs to get done or reschedule it. It will be waiting when you return to work. No one can rest when there are things to do always on your mind.
- Ditch the routine. Seriously. Hide your alarm clock. Leave your device(s) outside of your bedroom. Put a hold on all your daily habits you already have cooked into your day, whether it’s grocery shopping, checking the mail, walking the dog, or cleaning chores.
- Make plans. What is your goal for your time off? Do you need to relax, or do you have a personal project that you’d like to finally dig into? Your plans can be actual events or activities, or they can be plans to do nothing. Whether you are on one side or the other of the organization spectrum, have some kind of itinerary for your’ time off’. Get a sense of your week and make sure you have a variety of experiences slotted in your week or two, or three. Make a date for a hike with a friend or loved one. Pick a day to wait in the hardware store line so you can finally get that one project started, or maybe done. Even take advantage of local businesses’ patio when the sun shines and embrace the feeling of nowhere to be.
- Be a tourist in your own community. Get out and appreciate what others come to your town to experience. Hiking, biking, and that new or local gem of a restaurant with outdoor dining that you will finally have time to enjoy.
- Focus on YOU. Ignore the annoying voice in your head as it starts to list all the work you could be doing because it is so easy to power up your computer and check emails. Be your own version of a hotel concierge, and put your needs first.
Don’t get wooed by your head to use the time off to work on your own business
That website you want to improve, or that self-promotion project that you never get around to, can wait – that is still ‘work’. If you need time away from client work to focus on that your own business marketing, then you need to set a specific time aside for that. You can do that during your workweek, or schedule in a block of time to get it done.
This is when being part of a business accountability network can help. With an accountability group, you have these other people who will follow-up with you, and help keep you on track.
The bottom line, you need a break from always being available and trying to alleviate the world’s weight from your shoulders. Lighten your load so you can re-energize. Then, you will come back to your business more focused and likely with your creative bucket refilled.
Written by: Crystal Reynolds