What’s A Staycation and Why Do You Need One?

Many of us enjoy traveling somewhere for our vacation. Upon arrival, it’s easy to forget the headache that may have come as part of planning a holiday away. Planning your travel, finding accommodation, budgeting your trip – a vacation involves a bit of work!

When you think about it, the reason we go on vacation is to get away and recharge. Sure, it’s great to see new places and try new food, but R&R is what many of us are after. If you’re in need of a vacation, but can’t actually get away, a staycation could be the perfect choice for you. 

What is a Staycation? 

Put quite simply, a staycation is a vacation where you get to stay at home. That’s right, you don’t actually have to go anywhere. You may think this is impossible or pointless. After all, the point of a vacation is GO somewhere, right? Wrong! The goal of any vacation is to have fun and relax! Staycations can actually be just as exciting and refreshing as a normal vacation (if you do it right, of course).

Do You Need a Staycation?

Most of us spend our day to day lives running from one place to the next. The list of chores seems never ending. Is it time for you to take a break? While a vacation away may not be on the cards for you, you can still enjoy a staycation. Here are some signs you need a staycation. 

Everything and everyone is getting on your nerves: You’re normally a pretty happy person but lately, you’ve been irritable. You’ve always loved your co-worker’s jokes, but recently they’ve become unbearable. The sound of birds singing used to make you smile but now all you do is cringe.

You’re on autopilot: You’re just going through the motions of your life. Wake up. Eat. Go to work. Eat. Come home from work. Eat. Go to bed. Wash, rinse, and repeat every day. You feel like you’re trapped in a monotonous time loop.

Everything feels like it’s “too much”: There are bills to pay, mouths to feed, and a to-do list that seems to get twice as long every time you check it. Life can be overwhelming. It feels like you’re one minor inconvenience away from having a mental breakdown.

You’re always tired: Even when you get your 8 hours of sleep, you never feel rested. You wake up tired, roll out of bed, and spend the rest of your day wishing it was bedtime already.

You’ve become a workaholic: You have a bad habit of bringing your work home. You’re glued to your phone checking emails, talking to your co-workers, and doing research because you just had a great idea in the shower. This is supposed to be your time to unwind and spend time with loved ones.

How Could This Benefit You?

A staycation doesn’t have to be boring. In fact, there are many benefits to choosing a staycation over a getaway.

Save money: Choosing a staycation over a traditional vacation can easily save you hundreds (if not thousands) of dollars. You’re saving money on hotels, gas, and travel expenses. The only things you really have to worry about are food and entertainment.  

More time to relax: Since you don’t have to worry about traveling, you have way more time to relax.

Easier and quicker to plan: You don’t have to buy plane tickets, book a hotel, or sort through all the tourist attractions. You don’t even need to get permission from your boss because you can have a staycation over the weekend!

No packing: The only thing worse than packing is unpacking. With a staycation, you don’t need to do either.

No travel anxiety: Traveling is stressful. Traffic. Airports. Layovers. Ugh. If going on vacation is going to make you MORE stressed, what’s the point? Stay home!

What Do You Do on a Staycation?

Take a walk: Whether it’s at a local park or just around your neighborhood, taking walks has been proven to relieve stress and make you happier.

Take a guilt-free nap: You deserve one!

Get some sun: Grab your favorite drink, play your favorite music, or pick a book and lay out in the sun. It’s the best source of Vitamin D which decreases depression and improves your immune system.

Try a new recipe: Sometimes we get in the habit of cooking/eating the same thing over and over again and it gets boring. Spice it up a little! Here’s one of our favorites.

Read a book: If there’s a book you’ve been wanting to read, now’s the time!

Have fun in your backyard: You can play sports, plant a garden, or start a fire and roast marshmallows. Get creative!

Movie night: Get popcorn, candy, your favorite drinks, turn out the lights and enjoy your home theater.

Game night: Time to dust off those old games in the closet! Hopefully you have all the pieces…

Start a project: There are thousands of DIY projects you can find on YouTube and Pinterest. Here are a few ideas!

Reflect: Take this time to think about yourself. Who are you? How do you feel? What are you grateful for? Reevaluating your situation and perspective will help you feel refreshed after your staycation is over.