I recently returned from a two-week vacation—the longest I've ever been away from a job since I entered full-time employment—the primary goal of which was to take time and space to decompress, rest, and revitalize my over-stimulated self. Since I've returned to New York and my familiar routines (a re-entry that started off, and continues to be, a little rough), I've been preoccupied with finding a way to hold on to the unplugged and uninhibited 'vacation version' of me. And then it hit me: the real reasons I felt so great were totally achievable outside of an extensive two-week break. In fact, I'm going to go so far and say that you can get that vacation high in one day. Am I crazy? Maybe. But here's how I think you can do it:
Not all of us have the time, flexibility, or resources to take an extended vacation, but you can reap the benefits of time away (rest, relaxation, entertainment, new experiences) by following a super-powered one-day vacation plan. Think of it like taking a multi-vitamin: it may not be as as good as the original (getting your vitamins by actually eating real fruits and vegetables), but it's still a nutritional powerhouse that's also convenient and affordable.
How To Condense a Two-Week Vacation Into a Single Day
1. Set Aside One Day That Is Totally Open.
No work, no plans, no schedule. Maybe you decide to take next Wednesday off, or you pick a free Saturday next month. Just pick a day where you have nothing planned: no doctor's appointments, no chores, no dinner parties. Just a gloriously empty day full of potential. (Does that freak you out? Some people hate having empty days on their calendar. I think that's the greatest gift of all.)
2. Take a Media Fast.
Since I work online all day, one of the main things I tried to do on my vacation (with some success) was unplug and go offline. Now, I don't think there's anything inherently wrong with media—goodness knows I love the tech in my life! And likewise, you're probably thinking, "Woh.. Slow down, Nellie. That's how I relax! I watch movies, I read blogs, I shop online. Why do I need to give it up?" As Maxwell wrote in The Eight-Step Home Cure, media is ubiquitious, and if you give yourself a chance to live without it, you will "inevitably find yourself with time that is unfilled and now yours to spend in new ways." And since the point of a vacation of any length of time is to get away from daily life, that means getting away from our regular, daily routines. You have all the time in the world to watch movies on Netflix or check Facebook. You only have one day to do something special, something different, that'll make you feel like you've had a real break.
Hey, Maxwell wrote the book, and it's even hard for him, as seen in this video he took for the Fall 2010 20/20 Home Cure:
3. Decide What Kind of Vacation Person You Are.
There are two types of vacation people: those who prefer doing something (sightseeing, hiking, snorkeling, shopping) and those who prefer doing nothing (lying on a beach, reading, vegging). For your one-day vacation, decide which of these two areas sounds more appealing, and tailor your day around that.
For active people: Make a list of all the things in your area you've wanted to visit, see, or do but haven't gotten around to, and pick one. (I've lived in New York for six years, and I'll only be here for another two. I'm now realizing that time is running out, and there are still a ton of New York-ey things I've yet to experience—certain museums, restaurants, concerts, theater, interesting historical or cultural sites— so I'm making a list and plan to knock them out one by one so that I don't regret anything when I finally leave.) Explore your city on two wheels or go on a foraging expedition. Take a class to cultivate your DIY skills. Go hiking. Get outside.
For relaxers: Are you someone who is looking to escape an active life? Then plan a restful day. Have a leisurely breakfast, curl up in a corner with a good book. Get a massage. Bake some cookies. Write in a journal. Sit outside in the sun with a cool glass of iced tea. Listen to music.
4. Treat Yourself Throughout the Day.
One of the fun things about vacation is the sense that you are free to indulge a little. You can do that on a micro level as well. Buy fresh flowers for your dining room table. Drink some wine. Take a bath. Savor some ice cream. Eat out at a nice restaurant. Have a date night with your significant other. NO GUILT ALLOWED.
But whatever you do make sure of one thing...
5. Only Do The Things You Really Want To Do.
Read: Don't Do Anything Merely Out Of Obligation.
This was the key to my vacation, I discovered. I went away with a list of things I thought I needed to accomplish, because I'd have this expanse of time and I needed to "use it wisely." I realized, though, that this list was stressing me out. It was staring me in the face, and the more I thought about the things I "needed to be doing" the more my vacation was feeling like my regular ol' life! It was only when I let go of those expectations and focused on the things I truly wanted to do that I began to relax and enjoy myself.
This is not the time to catch up on your chores, to answer all your emails, to weed the garden. Ask yourself this question: do I feel happiest doing this thing right now, or am I doing it out of a sense of obligation? Is there something else I would rather be doing? You may find that this is a particularly hard thing to do: it feels selfish to focus purely on what you want to be doing. But for one day, it's the key to feeling reinvigorated, rather than rundown.
What do you think? How do you revitalize when you can't take a traditional vacation?
(Images: 1.Toast; 2. Cambria Bold; 3. Apartment Therapy video, 4. New York Magazine via Re-Nest; 5. Eames Office; 6. Faith Durand)
Ellen's Thirties Style Small Space
Juan's Garage Turned Modern Guest House
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The Big Book of Small, Cool Spaces 
Apartment Therapy Presents 
The Eight-Step Home Cure 
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Recipe: Thai Ginger Chicken Stir-Fry
For every month that doesn't have a federal holiday, I like to take a day off in the middle of a week as a mental health day.
I usually schedule it on a day when the kids are in school - and that is my "Me Day".
Such a great idea! I think I'm the "do nothing" sort of vacationer with a smidge of "do something".
What a lovely post! Thank you for this reminder that we don't have to spend lots of money or fly away to simply BE away.
I love this advice although when I do one of these days for myself, I admit I like to do a half & half.
I'll do something active in the morning (hike, explore a neighborhood, roller skate, etc.) and then a nice lunch and the afternoon is dedicated to the relaxing stuff (reading outside under a tree, etc.). That seems to fill both sets of needs for me. As long as I don't make the morning activity too exhausting or difficult to manage with logistics, it works for me.
@leapkate, I'm with you! Half and half is of course an excellent way to go!
My boyfriend and I did something similar to this last weekend. We called it our "Brooklyn Stay-Cation". When so many of our weekends are spent with other people for birthdays, weddings, showers, etc. (which of course we love doing!), we rarely just get to relax at home together. We got up early and went golfing on Saturday, saw some live music that afternoon, and got a couples' massage on Sunday, all in our immediate area. It was perfect! I felt more refreshed than if I had gone away!
this inspired me to call in sick one day soon and head to the beach... on a TUESDAY! wonderful!
And see, that's the thing [Kayla AKA etc. "I felt more refreshed than if I had gone away"]: I don't generally feel refreshed when I *do* go away! Travel can be kind of stressful these days... also, scarce vacation days often get spent on distant family. Always a pleasure, but not necessarily an un-mixed one. So a one-day vacation without travel, staying home, sounds like the best of both worlds: genuinely refreshing.
I wish I could do this now... or at least this month! Although it will have to wait for next month, I think this is a perfect idea! I also think it's good to pick a day when your significant other works so you can really be forced do only what you want to do :)
Wow, American's have such issues with taking time off for themselves.
I am definitely a relaxer. My 'vacations' generally tend to be devoted to family stuff (soooo glad they live in awesome places or it'd be tough giving up all my pto), so my hubby and I hit nearby hot springs areas once a month, and I highly recommend it. One weekend feels like a month's vacation!
I am very lucky to be blessed with abundant vacation time, so I do take random days off quite frequently. I think I could better heed the advice in this article and not do chores and just let them be more relaxation. Sometimes my weekends are so jam-packed with stuff that they are not as relaxing as they could be.
A well written post. Can't help but to agree that living to work, instead of working to live, is an American suffering though.
It would be lovely to have a completely free day, but with two elderly parents (one crippled by Alzheimer's), it seems that every time I schedule one for myself, the parentals have an emergency.
Mondays are my 'day off'. Even when I had small children and was working full time, I counted Monday as my 'day off'. Every Monday night we had spaghetti and meatballs, which everyone liked but which required no effort on my part (frozen meatballs and tomato sauce in the slow cooker before I left for work in the morning, my husband cooked the pasta). I used my lunch hour for a manicure or some other little pleasure. I did not schedule any other appointments on Mondays if I could avoid it. Monday night I didn't do dishes - I just piled them in the sink. If my husband wanted to do them he did, otherwise, they waited until Tuesday. I settled down with a book in the evening after the kids were asleep.
I did the same thing at work (as much as possible)(and without actually tellling anyone what I was doing). I'm sure it enhanced my efficiency. Monday was the day I cleared my desk, reorganized files etc. made timelines etc. As much as possible, I stayed unscheduled, except for things that added pleasure to my day - working lunches with colleagues I liked. I concentrated on projects I enjoyed and deferred (as much as possible) the ones that were less enjoyable. I spent minimal time on email and phone calls - any thing that could be deferred to Tuesday, was.
I'm not working now and still, I never schedule anything on Monday unless it's something I want to do. I either cook something easy, or something special that I really enjoy cooking. It's the day when I do what I want to do and only what I want to do, as much as possible. No guilt.
Obviously, things happen and you can't always control the events of the day. But when something goes awry on Monday, I still try to figure out how to find time for myself that day.
I do this every week, except it's part of my faith practice of "Sabbath rest". Not perfect at it thats for sure, but try my best every week. I definetely notice weeks that I don't take that time. Instead of working to have time to rest (Sabbath, vacation, etc) I defintely think that we instead need to rest in order to work and live better. Thanks for the great article.
I take a weekend a month, here at home, as a vacation. No media or electrical use from Friday after work until Monday morning. The only electrical I keep plugged in is the fridge and I don't even use the electric lights - only daylight and candlelight (easier to do in Summer of course but it's still possible year-round). By Thursday night I've made dishes ahead of time, things that can be eaten cold or at room temp, so that I don't even use the stove/oven/microwave. I wake with the sun, or the ferocious cat who wants to be fed NOW, rather than the alarm clock. It does wonders for my spirit.
The real trick is to get that feeling without it being dependent from getting away from it all. Not that I've succeeded, but I went through a tough time financially at one point and used to indulge in fantasies of winning the lottery. It gave me a feeling of complete freedom, as I walked to and from work: then I realized that if I could feel that way just pretending to have wone the lottery, maybe I could just leapfrog straight to that feeling. Still working on it, but the sun does happen to break through the clouds every once in awhile, even when I'm just looking at it on the way to work. Corny, but true.
Sorry, "dependent on," not "dependent from." Too bad I didn't reread BEFORE I posted. Oh well!
Every Monday is my "phone and internet free" day. I change my voicemail to say that I'll be away from my phone and sit back and enjoy the calm. There is nothing that can't be put off for one whole day, and I often feel like it's an extended weekend even while at work.
It's made Monday a little less manic :)
I love my 'me' days, I try to do things out of the ordinary, like see a noon movie, I don't do any chores, go to the gym and use the pools, the therapy pool for a body relaxer, got my hair fixed in a way I normally do not, didn't watch any tv. At evening, I felt very relaxed.
I would be lost without my weekly "sabbath" day. I think there's great wisdom in the idea of setting aside one day a week for rest, play, family, long meals, perhaps a walk down to the ice cream shop, reading, and meditation. No tv, no chores, no errands - maybe some quiet reading, maybe some journaling, maybe a low-key picnic with friends, maybe a nap. Love it. Keeps me balanced, sane, and not so focused on my own little problems. It's not easy to stick to it: the temptation is to fill the day with little tasks that have been piling up all week. I don't do it for religious reasons; I do it for my well-being. I have found that it does cause me to feel more calm and connected with the people I love. Wouldn't call it a "me" day, really - it's just a slower and more intentional day that revolves around connectedness rather than productiveness.
Every Sunday afternoon, while our kiddo naps, my husband and I sit on our patio, turn on some music, do a little gardening or yoga, or just lounge with a beer. Most Sundays I give myself a pedicure. The key is we never HAVE TO do anything.
This always feels like a mini-vacation! It really helps to keep us going throug the next week. It's a reminder that "this moment" is what we work for & a great way to stay connected with my husband and (as corny as it sounds) with nature.
Although where we live is not the sunniest we can be outdoors most days of the year. And throughout the years our patio garden has grown into a definite garden oasis without even trying.
It's become a great ritual that keeps us grounded in what's really important. And, it's practically free! Can't beat that.
every sunday is a do-nothing vacation day.
So sad to read that people have never had even two weeks away since entering full time employment... What are you working for? Take time and enjoy life, you only live it once! I am shocked that it is common practice to never take vacation in your adult life.
For the US to compete effectively with Europe, it has to CLOSE THE VACATION GAP!!! I think it's 7 weeks in Belgium for example....
If only.
TripleL, it wasn't that I never took vacation, I had just never taken two weeks at a time! I tend to spread out all my vacation time (the standard 3-4 weeks) with 2-3 days here and there, and most of it was to visit family over holidays. This was the first time I actually took two whole weeks, back to back.
Thanks for this - as I teacher I have the summer off, but I always find myself doing busywork or mindlessly consuming blogs. I went media free this morning and it helped so much.
OK, not entirely related, but where can one find that woven natural fiber cushion that the woman in the photo is lying on at the top of the page? I've been looking for a cushion like forever and can't seem to find one.
@frahnkenshteen, that photo is from Toast, a UK home accessories and clothing company. I'd start there!
Aha! Thanks!
I go to a neighborhood in nyc I have never been in. Esp. helpful is to cross a river to get there. It's an adventure, and then I can be a tourist in the city I've lived in for 25 years. I make sure I look at everything and experience as much as I can; buildings, what people are wearing, cafes, stores, yard sales, and how the area feels to all of my senses.
Loved this post. I live on the East Coast but grew up in CA, where all of my family still lives. I continually struggle with making time to get back West to see them while still taking "me" time.
I found the perfect compromise -- heading home for an extended stay to make sure I see the people I want to see, while taking a few days for me.
I am going to make my husband read this! :D thanks!
After experiencing some severe work-related stress manifesting itself in the form of an irritated stomach lining and teeth grinding, I left that toxic job, freelanced for a while, and found a new job where I've negotiated a pro-rated pay for working 4 days per week (32 hours). I work enough to get all of the full time benefits, and I take Mondays off. Saturday is my play day to do fun things, Sunday is my "me" day to relax and be lazy, and Monday is for errands since the stores are less crowded. I don't think I could ever go back to the 5 day a week grind, and the mental benefit outweighs the extra pay. I know that not everyone is lucky enough to work for flexible companies, but you'd be surprised at what you can negotiate with the right approach. I too dream of taking a 2 week straight vacation, the longest I've gone was 10 days and that was during my freelance days!
Forgot to mention the diagnosed anxiety during that old job! I'm so much happier now. But, I will say that my current job in public relations doesn't look too kindly on extended vacations (longer than a week or 10 days). It's not prohibited, but it's not encouraged, either. And while you're gone, guaranteed someone will contact you and expect a response. I am trying to get longer vacation packages approved but it'll be a long shot.
Interesting. I would love to see this cross-posted on Ohdeedoh. We have a 2-year-old and a baby and live far from family. How do folks with kids find ways to feel like they've gotten away, without leaving the kids? That's our holy grail.
We assign our annual leave to always be used for 'holidays' (away from home) since staying at home always feels like a waste, but recently I have taken a few days at random times, and it's so nice to have a free day. I've since extended that to have every Friday off, and I love it! Of course, I always have chores and things to do, but I can at least plan my own day :-)
I can't imagine living in the USA and not taking every single leave day I was entitled to. We get 25 days and it's never enough.
@ ricestein: take turns. One day (or half-day since your little ones are really little) you rest, the next time there is the chance, you'll let your partner rest. It's the only way if you can't leave the kids with someone else.
Mid-week single-day vacations are always the most rejuvenating for me. Sometimes I'd take a Monday if I wanted to finish a weekend project. Breaking up the week is helpful, as is feeling like I have more control over my time by taking it spontaneously.