Taking A Mental Vacation: How to Plan Your Own

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You’re probably asking yourself what’s the difference between a mental vacation and a vacation. Well, nothing really. But there is a difference in the way you vacation. We all love taking them. It is a way to escape the hustle and bustle of everyday living and enjoy ourselves in a relaxing manner. But how many of us take an actual mental vacation and if so, how often?

Before we plan for our own mental vacation, let’s take a look at what it can do for your mental state of mind.

What is a Mental Vacation

A Mental Vacation sounds exactly like what it is, a mental escape. It’s an opportunity to empty out all the negative build-ups that we find ourselves having to deal with on a daily basis.

According to The American Institute of Stress, 46% of our daily stresses is due to a heavy workload. That’s 18% more than people issues and 26% more than the managing of both work and personal life. The demand to perform at higher levels for longer periods of time has led to increased rates of hypertension, heart attacks, and other disorders. Unfortunately, our society is based on the idea of “Work to live” rather than “Live to work.”

The small stresses at work quickly build up into major ones. And we often find ourselves swimming in the deep end of the stress pool. Sometimes we’re pushing 40-60 hours of work straight through just to get the majority of the work done whether it be for a boss or independently. And more times than not, the word “break” is not in our vocabulary.

While it is great to have that drive for success and hard work, you could find yourself on the verge of burning out. This is a great place where a mental vacation is a big benefit both physically and mentally.

Benefits of Taking A Mental Vacation

So what are some of the benefits of taking a mental vacation? Well, there are two types of mental vacations you could consider: short term and long term. Both have the ability to give you the same end results of feeling rejuvenated. And both have the ability to relieve the stresses of your everyday life, bringing you back to a nice calm place. So let’s look at some benefits of taking one

Some Benefits For Taking A Mental Vacation

1. You give your mind a break – giving your mind the time to relax and recoup from being overworked is essential to your well being. It not only clears your mind but may help you tackle those pesky problems that have been bringing on your stress.
2. It is a break from work – who doesn’t need a break every now and then from work.  A burned-out worker is a sluggish worker.
3. Self-care – taking care of yourself is hands down the most important thing about being human. And it starts with your mental and physical being. Try to look at taking a mental vacation as an essential need.
4. Better sleep – overworked whether from a job or home could lead to restless nights. This could be a great way to catch up on that missed sleep and quite possibly form a new sleep habit.
5. You return a new and better person – you may feel a change in your energy, happier and more satisfied because you took a break.

Types of Short and Long Vacations

Now that we know some of the benefits of taking a mental vacation, let’s dive a little deeper into some types of vacations. When we think of the word “vacation” oftentimes we think packed bags, spending money, long-distance travel, itineraries, seeing familiar faces. All of these are true statements.

However, while this is the standard sometimes it could turn into a stressor itself when things don’t quite go as planned. And that is the last thing we want for our mental vacation. Instead, consider the two types of vacations you could take for yourself.

A short vacation typically is those breaks that extend 1 to 2 days. They are like a brief pit stop in the road before motoring on to the next task. They allow for the brain to calm down and gather itself during stressful times. And the best part about these types of vacations, they’re very inexpensive and always include something you love to do.

Some Short Vacations You Could Take

1. Book a hotel room for the day in your town/city
2. Take a long quiet stroll at the beach/park and spend the day
3. Attend that all day or two-day event you always wanted to do
4. Plan a picnic for 1 for the day
5. Have a stay-cation
6. Visit a favorite museum or place for the day
7. Go apple/pumpkin picking
8. Spend a day with someone special sightseeing
9. Plan a day tour
10. Have a spa day

These types of activities could oftentimes boost your energy just enough to get you to your next mental pit stop. And while it may not seem like much, you’d be surprised by the impact it could have on you if you make it a habit to do regularly.

But what happens when a day visit to your favorite spot doesn’t satisfy your mental state of mind. Well, here’s where taking a long vacation comes into play. Long vacations are essential to the mind because they often last longer than three days and have a better effect on relieving stress.

Some Long Vacations You Could Take

1. The Lake

A trip to the Lake is one of the most peaceful trips you could take. While it may be full during the summer with families and college students, think about going in the off-peak seasons. You could plan for a nice dip in the water, a sit by the fire pit at night, a walk through the nearby town, or rest under the stars.

I took a trip to Lake George in New York along with my sister and friend and it was one of the most somber trips I had taken. We planned in October, stayed in a nice cabin on the lake and woke up every morning to the sight of nature. And by the end of the trip, I had gotten the rest and escape from the city that I needed to move forward.

2. The Woods

Similar to the lake, the woods are another great calming place to visit. Surrounded by nothing but nature, book a cabin and soak in all that it has to offer. You could plan for a hike up the mountainside or through the wooded area, or set up camp and rough it for a few days. Of course, depending on where you are, be careful of wildlife.

The woods is one of those places that returns us back to the days of survival. No electronic devices or pop up kits and supplies. Here you can take the moment to become one with nature.

3. The Beach

This is by far the number 1 destination for a relaxing vacation. The Bahamas, St. Vincent, Aruba, Barbados,  just to name a few are great destination spots for a calming vacation. From swimming in the cool waters, feeling the sand through your toes, or sunbathing on the beach, it could serve as the perfect calming place for someone who is on the verge of a mental break.

Being both in and by the water tends to have a calming effect on the body, providing a sense of relaxation. The sounds of the waves alone could add a nice ambiance on a less crowded day.

For these types of long vacations, sometimes less is better. So if your friend, significant other or family member suddenly change their mind, don’t let that stop you from enjoying a solo vacation.

How to Plan Your Own Mental Vacation

Planning for a vacation can be stressful enough. However, planning for a mental vacation doesn’t have to be. Your vacation is mainly centered around you and those included could only add to the experience. So here are a few things to keep in mind when you’re planning your own mental vacation

1. Pick a place that is right for you

There are a ton of places to visit in the world. So when picking a relaxing place for your mental vacation, try picking a place with the least opportunity for elevated stress and loud distractions. While a place like Las Vegas, one of my favorite places, can offer loads of fun and attractions, try thinking along the lines of more relaxation.

2. Pack essentials and fun

When packing for this trip, having the essentials are very important. Be sure to pack according to the number of days of your stay. But also don’t forget to pack fun as well. Bring your favorite book, arts and crafts, games, or anything that brings you joy along for the ride. While where you’re going will provide fun activities, there may be a day where you just want to stay in, and bringing something fun from home could be a relaxing activity as well.

Plan a few things out that are convenient to take with you as a way to decompress because no matter how well we plan a vacation, they can change.

3. Leave all worries at the front door of your home

It’s often easy for us to bring the worries of work home. Once you have your vacation booked, try leaving those stressors at the front door of your home.  Remember that the reason for this break is to break away from everything, even if the stressors are continued success.

4. Pick your travel mates wisely

Family and friends can make for great traveling companions. But they can also stress you out and clash with your ideas for a relaxing vacation. So try to pick wisely when it comes to the person or persons you travel with. That best friend or family member that you spend more time laughing than arguing with is a great traveling buddy. And if all else fails, take a chance and travel on your own. Remember, that it’s you who needs the escape more than anything.

5. Minimize your stresses before you leave

Like most vacation planning, you want to be sure to tie up all loose ends before your big travel day. Oftentimes, we tend to leave everything at the last minute, causing ourselves even more stress. And this could lead to starting your planned vacation off on the wrong foot.

Packing two days before leaving gives you enough time to be prepared for the actual day. Setting up a house and pet sitter a week before, with backups in case your first choice falls through.  Making small purchases three to five days before your travel day gives you enough time to search for missing items on your list. And of course, don’t forget to verify all confirmations the day before with your stay and the airlines.

But also, try to prep your mind for vacation. A lot of the times, we find ourselves working up until the last minute before racing home to grab our bags then jump on a plane. If possible, prep your mind the week before by leaving work at work. Try practicing decompressing for an hour the minute you arrive home. Allow yourself to separate your mind from the stresses of the workday. May sound crazy but that hour a day of doing nothing could benefit you on your day of departure, making it less complicated to let go of the worries of work.

Conclusion

I have a casual friend who often talks about having very little time for a break. And while he’s successfully building his brand daily, he does work harder than most around him, including me. He inspired me to write this topic this week because there are many like him out there that could benefit from a mental escape. Now, I can only hope that one of these days he takes a mental vacation himself.

While there’s nothing wrong with working hard in life, everyone needs a break and it’s okay to take some time to yourself to rejuvenate. Vacations are essential for the mind, body, and soul. So next time you’re planning a trip, why not make it a mental vacation. What are some places you’d love to visit as a mental getaway? Feel free to share in the comments below.

Until next time, this is Tammy saying keep strong, keep positive and NOTHING is impossible!!!