"Practice self care". We hear about it all the time, and we get it, self care is a hot topic and important to our overall health. We know that doing things like exercise, making time for a hobby, taking a long bath, and getting our annual check ups are all great ways to practice self care. What you probably didn't know is that traveling is the best form of self care you can practice.
Most of us receive some vacation time every year but not all of us use it efficiently, or at all. Stop using your vacation time to binge Netflix, or to finish that one project you started 5 months ago but haven't made time for since. Start using your vacation time to recharge and decompress all the stresses of your everyday life.
Studies have shown that productivity goes up when employees come back from a vacation. They come back feeling renewed, with a sense of purpose, ready to tackle that new project, and wanting to gush over vacation details making their coworkers jealous.
Vacations are important for relationships. Focusing on our relationships with our spouses, kids, family members, and friends is hard to do when you're busy juggling work, house work, appointments, school activities, and.... the list goes on. Taking a vacation allow us to focus our attention on the ones who matter most in our lives and create memories we can bring with us into the future. Having time to build relationships and make connections can help us feel secure and loved. Spouses traveling together can find renewed romance, opportunities to strengthen their relationships, and to learn new things about each other.
Traveling opens the opportunity to meet new people and experience new cultures. Exposing ourselves to different perspectives and ways of life can help us appreciate our own, or motivate us to make changes in our own lives. Maybe you've been meaning to live more minimalistic, or have been wanting to incorporate new foods into your diet. Traveling may be just the extra boost in motivation and inspiration that you needed.
Traveling pushes our comfort levels for the better! Learning a new language, trying different modes of transportation, trying new foods are all apart of the travel experience. Pushing yourself outside of your comfort zone can give you a boost in confidence that you can carry with you into your everyday life. If you can zip line in Central America, or ask for directions in a new language then you can certainly tackle new challenges at work and home, or even things like joining a social club/sport, or starting a new hobby.
So you have vacation time and want to use it to travel but maybe you're anxious or funds are low. Now what? Taking a vacation doesn't mean you have to go very far. Staycations are a great way to vacation economically. You still feel like you're on vacation without having to pay airfare or travel long distances. In order to make it feel like a real vacation I recommend picking a place at least 30 minutes from your home. Plan activities as if you were a real tourist. Pretend your home is hours away so you won't be tempted to stop by.
If you are able to travel further then GO FOR IT! Can't find the time to plan a vacation? Or is the process of planning too stressful? Call in the help of a travel advisor. Travel advisors like myself love helping people accomplish their travel goals.
