10 Tips for the Best Staycation.
It happened again. It's Monday and you feel like the weekend didn't even happen. Wasn’t it 5:00 Friday like two seconds ago?
Another jam-packed weekend has passed you by, and with minimal relaxation time. So here you are, probably sitting at your desk at work, figuring out how to plan yourself a little vacation time without having to travel far. Thankfully, I've done this a time or two and know exactly what makes up the best staycation!
Here are my top 10 tips for the best staycation:
1. Treat yourself.
If the staycation doesn’t involve the nicest hotel in town (we know, rent and bills don’t pay themselves), you should still TREAT YO’ SELF. Buy the good cheese at the store, a higher quality wine than you’d typically buy, and actually buy that movie you’ve been eyeing every time you open up On Demand. I recently stayed at the Hyatt Centric Times Square and loved the opportunity to lounge around in a fluffy robe and sleep in a bed that I didn't have to make.
2. Put the phone on “Do Not Disturb."
As far as your boss is concerned, you are far, FAR away this weekend. Even if you’re just at the Hilton up the street. Put that “Out of Office”’ automatic email up and check out of reality!
3. Bring the girls along!
This is the best excuse for a girls’ weekend! How often do you get to spend an entire weekend uninterrupted with your best friends? Use your staycation as bonding time and get the most out of it! You’ll be talking about this trip for months, swearing that you should be doing them more often!
4. Pick a spot you haven’t been to before.
It's time to let your town or city surprise you again. If you’re living in a bigger city, chances are there are spots in town you’re dying to see more of. Make an effort to find a hotel in that area and use this time to explore! Are you really a local if you’re not versed in every inch of your hometown?
5. Be extra with your normal activities.
And by this I mean, if your staycation is lounging around your pool at home, get some fun and obnoxious pool inflatables, whip up a batch of Pinterest’s best margaritas, and have a contest of who can take the best/worst ‘basic’ pool Instagram photo. Allow yourself the freedom to be “extra” for a day!
6. Get out of your routine.
If your staycation involves staying at home, break out of your normal routine. If you usually wake up and have coffee at your kitchen table, go out to a new, cool coffee shop instead! Getting away from what you do every day will take your staycation from just another boring weekend at home to something actually refreshing for you!
7. Don’t overthink it!
A great staycation doesn’t need to be elaborate and flawlessly planned in order to be a success! Keep it simple, stick to your budget, don’t let planning it stress you out. This would defeat the whole purpose, right?
8. Also, don’t blow your entire savings on it.
If you were going to really spend some dough, you’d probably want to actually go somewhere right? Keeping expenses down will allow you to take more, longer trips in the future!
9. Stay in your own lane.
The comparison game is not one you will ever win. Don’t compare your weekend staycation to the 2-week long trip to Cancun your friend took last month. Stay in your own lane, as they say, and just enjoy this time of relaxation!
10. Know that you’ve earned it!
Go-go-going all week, all month, all year long, you definitely have earned to take a step back and enjoy a nice little break from reality. Nothing kills the vacation vibe like feeling guilty about sitting on your butt with a Piña Colada (or six) all weekend. You’ve earned it, you should allow yourself to indulge and enjoy it!
Summing up all our tips, just don’t be afraid to mentally check-out, treat yourself a little, and break from your normal habits during your staycation. You will end up more relaxed, having more fun, and returning to your life refreshed and ready to take on everyday life again! Plus, you just got all of this without having to go to through the airport… I’d say this is a win-win situation.