With the rising costs of living, many people are choosing to stay at home for a summer staycation instead of going on a vacation abroad.
Chances are, you might be too! But if you are planning to spend most of your time at (or near) your home, you want to make sure you get plenty of rest and relaxation.
To ensure you do get lots of r&r, make sure you do the following.
1: Get on top of maintenance jobs now
You won’t be able to properly relax if your HVAC isn’t working or if the water in your hot tub is a worrying shade of green, so invest in HVAC maintenance and proper hot tub cleaning before you begin your staycation.
There may be other things you need to do to get your home ready for the summer, so get on top of any jobs now so you aren’t distracted by anything that could disturb your relaxation time.
#2: Put down your phone
There’s nothing wrong with looking at your phone occasionally but you don’t want to be glued to it 24/7. If you are always on your phone, there is a chance you won’t be able to fully relax if you are constantly reminded of work or the stresses of life because of emails and the social media posts of others.
When you disconnect from your phone, you will have more time to rest, sleep, and take part in activities that will bring you happiness when you’re at home.
#3: Plan your staycation
What will you be doing this summer? You don’t necessarily need an itinerary for every day as it’s perfectly fine to go with the flow. But if you don’t plan a few relaxing things to do, you might get bored and spend your days doing things that don’t really relax you, such as an overabundance of household chores!
As such, find ways to relax, perhaps by purchasing a few books to read over the summer or by making an effort to visit nearby places of beauty. This way, your days won’t be completely aimless and you won’t feel as if you have wasted your summer when the autumn swings around.
#4: Delegate your usual responsibilities
If you’re the person in your household who tends to do the most cooking and cleaning, now is the time to give yourself a break.
Enlist your family members or hire the services of another, such as a temporary maid, so you don’t have to spend all of your summer doing the chores. You will have more time for yourself if you do have help, so don’t assume you have to do absolutely everything!
#5: Get some me-time
If you live alone, you should be able to have plenty of me-time if you’re not constantly bombarded by requests from friends or external family members. But if you have a family at home, getting me time might not be so easy.
So, if you would like some time alone, find things for your kids to do. Book them into a holiday club or ask your partner to spend some time with them while you do other things. You might even want to share childcare duties with another parent if you’re able to arrange a few playdates over the summer.
Do whatever else you can to carve out some time for yourself, even if it’s only for a day a week, as you will then have the opportunity to get the space you might desperately be craving.
How will you be relaxing this summer? Let us know in the comments below!