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Summer is here, and it’s vacation or bust. The last thing I want right now is to go on vacation and come back feeling like I need a vacation.
So, how do we unwind and return feeling rejuvenated? Relaxation is key. Relaxing looks and feels different for everyone. Here are five tips to help you set yourself up for a relaxing vacation.
Leave work at work
Have a solid plan around how your business will be cared for in your absence. Prioritize this by designating time slots in your schedule well before your vacation to create a plan. Have a backup plan if possible.
Set expectations well in advance with clients and coworkers that you will be away and unavailable. Let them know in confidence who will be taking care of them.
Embrace the “Out of the Office” tool for email and change your voicemail to reflect your time off.
Turn off the devices. Leave your computer at home. Silence your phone as much as possible.
If you absolutely have to attend to work while on vacation, designate a specific time in the day to do so. Morning works best for me so that I can mentally let go for the day.
Setting boundaries is challenging for most of us, but it is non-negotiable in order to unplug and relax.
Define what is relaxing to you
We all relax differently at various times in our lives. Some relax by letting loose at a rock concert or spending a week at Disney and others find their zen at a luxury spa resort or during a solo backpacking trip.
If you can’t pinpoint what kind of vacation will help you chill out, sit down and make a list of where you were and what you were experiencing the last few times that you felt relaxed. Be willing to redefine “vacation” so that it supports unwinding and relaxing.
Shift your attention
We can set up our “Out of Office” messages, travel to that magical destination and do all the “right” things to set the stage for relaxing, but if we don’t shift our attention off of work and into the moment, it will not feel like a vacation.
How do we shift our attention?
Ask yourself, “What do I get completely immersed in?” — other than work, of course. What are those things that you get so absorbed into that you lose track of time?
It might be a book or podcast, music, exploring a new city, sipping coffee in a familiar coffee shop, spending quality time with your family or staring at the vastness of the ocean. Keep it simple and incorporate these things into your time off.
Give yourself the gift of time
It takes time to unwind. From experience, I know that it takes me three days to start to unplug from it all. Knowing this helps me to plan the length of my vacation. I need a minimum of a week of vacation to step into relaxation and return feeling rejuvenated.
Consider your budget
With the big shift in the market, many are feeling the cash crunch. Choose a vacation that doesn’t stress your pocketbook.
If your dream trip is beyond financial reach this year, don’t abandon that much–needed vacation. Consider a road trip, camping or a staycation. Staying within our budget keeps us in alignment with what supports us and helps us to let go and relax.
The effects of relaxing while on vacation last far beyond the vacation itself. We come back clearer, healthier, happier, more efficient in our work and more present to those around us. Cheers to a relaxing, rejuvenating vacation season.
Pam Blair is the broker-owner of YogaBug Real Estate in Portland, Oregon, an indie brokerage that weaves together excellence in real estate concierge services and holistic, mindful living. Connect with her on Instagram or LinkedIn.