Ever been disappointed after vacation? Somehow it didn’t do the trick. We are more stressed than when we left. Plans never materialized like we hoped they would. We need a vacation from vacation.
I’ve found myself unfulfilled and tired after many breaks. Resting well doesn’t happen on accident. As the old adage goes, “if you fail to plan you plan to fail.” I know it sounds strange, but you’re going to have to make a plan if you want to rest well this summer.
Here are some of my practices that can help you recharge this summer…
Make a plan to fight the email battle. I separated my email accounts on my phone and seek to only scan my personal email account at night or while I’m on vacation. Don’t check you’re work email; you’ll get sucked into the vortex. Create your plan, and stick to it.
Read a few books you’ve been wanting to read. Perhaps you’ve been reading books that only fill your professional tank. Take a mental break and read a “guilty pleasure book” or two that won’t help you professionally. Or if you want to dig into a book that talks about the value of recharging I highly recommend Deep Work.
Dream about taking a few risks in the fall. Once September hits and the kids are back to school your calendar will be full, and you’ll be tempted to run the rat race again. Now is the time to dream about future risks. Carve out some time and pull out your journal or it might be too late.
Create a few relaxing spaces around your house. Throw a hammock between two trees, spruce up your porch or make a fire pit in the back yard. Perhaps you want to take a risk and create an intentional space in the front yard to connect with neighbors like my friend, Kristin, is doing. I talk about this a lot in my book Staying is the new Going.
Don’t put all your hopes on your vacation. Vacations shouldn’t be your only break from running a million miles an hour. This sets vacation up as a rescue instead of a relaxer. Plan a few long weekends this summer, and create some relaxing moments on those long summer evenings.
Happy vacationing, friend. Slow down. Reflect. Recreate. Take a nap. Make some memories.