Let’s be clear: we’re all fond of a well-deserved, relaxing holiday every now and then. The more often, the better, to be frank. To be able to get away from it all, soak in new impressions and dive into another culture is an undeniable luxury we can’t get enough of. Yet sometimes, life has other plans. Meaning you can’t go away from home, even just for a couple of days. True first world problems, yes, but sometimes it can leave you feeling a little low.
Especially when you’ve got a busy life, going away on holiday can feel a bit like an escape. For some it’s even the only way they’re able to relax, as at home, they’re buried under work, kids and household chores of all kinds. But going on holiday means more expenses, finding someone to take care of your pets and not being able to take care of any projects you’ve got going at home. A luxury not everyone can afford.
Luckily, even if you’re not leaving the country or taking multiple days off, there are ways to make you feel as if you’re taking a break from it all for a bit. Ways to feel as if you were on holiday, even when at night you lay down your head on your own pillow in your own bedroom. So if you’re in need of a bit of downtime, these tips might help you to recreate that holiday feeling.
1. Play the tourist
What’s one of the main things we tend to do when visiting another country, an unknown destination? We search for the most important tourist attractions in town and make a selection of what we want to go visit. Bizarrely, it’s rare we visit those tourist spots close to home. Next time you want to take the day off, make a list of must-sees in your city or region and organize a little day trip. Do as you would when abroad: pack that camera, grab a picnic and don’t forget the road trip playlist.
2. Order in
Another perk of being on holiday is the fact you don’t necessarily have to cook for yourself. Of course, cooking can be a very relaxing activity, yet sometimes it’s great just to be able to put your feet under the table and enjoy a great meal. Can’t go on holiday or to a restaurant? Ordering in can be the perfect treat and a way to relax. Dress the table, put on some candles and leave the dishes to your dishwasher or put them off until the next day. If you were at a restaurant, you wouldn’t need to do the dishes afterwards, after all.
3. Turn your room into a hotel room
For us, one of the nicest things about a hotel is the whole hotel room vibe. Qualitative linen, a mini bar and maybe even a little lounge area immediately make us want to unwind. Something that can’t be said about our messy bedroom at home. Luckily, there’s something that can be done about that. Instead of splurging on a holiday, maybe try to invest in some luxury linen bedding at home. And instead of turning your bedroom into the messiest part of the house, try to turn it into a zen space. Some candles, cozy lighting and a tea corner: it’s all about the details.
4. Do nothing
How often do you find yourself doing nothing for an entire day at home? Right. And how often do you do that while on holiday? Quite a lot more, we reckon. If you really don’t have the budget to make an outing, order some food or anything else in that genre, at least try to plan a day during which you don’t do anything at all. Go from your bed to the couch and back again, read a book, watch some series and heat up a pizza in the oven. Sometimes you just need to wind down entirely to be able to recharge your batteries.
5. Let go of your plans
In our daily lives, most of us like to be as organized as possible. We know what we’ll do at 9:00 am, 3:00 pm and 9:00 pm. We know where we’ll go, what we’ll eat and who we’ll see. Yet if you want to relax, it can be great to let go of all that and just see where the day takes you. Fancy a brunch when you wake up? Go to your favorite brunch spot. Walk into some friends? Go for a walk together. Bump into a nice store? Go inside. Just try to live in the moment and don’t set any expectations, you’ll see, you won’t be disappointed.
