We all know how short a one week vacation could be. Especially how difficult it can be to enjoy with many obligations. Despite this being a time to escape the stress of everyday life for some much-need downtime there is always something that must be done. Even on days off. Regardless of how difficult it may be to kick back and relax this guide will help you make the best use of that small precious time off.
Disconnect
One of the biggest issues with days off is that they’re not always “off” meaning there’s always something going on. Whether it’s a call from work for work related matters or a call from someone for something. The first thing that needs to be done is to disconnect. Allow yourself to be distant from work or other obligations that may take up that vacation time. Inform people that may need you that you’ll be unavailable for a specified duration as a curtesy and put your phone on mute. This is your time.
Have Realistic Expectations
There are a vast majority of blog post that tell you how you could have the most amazing vacation visiting great locations in just a week, but the reality is there’s just not enough time in a week to tackle every activity a new place has to offer. Trying to do it all would leave you exhausted and disappointed in the many activities you didn’t have enough time to do. Rather than attempting to do everything narrow down the activities to at least three to five that you absolutely want to experience. Then list other activities you would like to do but wouldn’t mind missing out on. Remember that it’s all about relaxing and enjoying your experience. If something feels stressful take a moment to reflect and consider doing something else. Sometimes doing nothing is better than going through something you would otherwise not enjoy doing.
Do Some Research
You also have to keep in mind that not everything will be picture perfect. The hotel reservation may not be as advertise. It may be too small, or there may be a weird smell. Even an Airbnb reservation could end up being misleading. There was a time when I made a reservation and they advertised free parking. It turned out that there was only free roadside parking in the early mornings between three to seven AM. Other areas had time limited parking or charged. The location’s parking garage charged $45 a night. This turned out to be more expensive than just getting a hotel reservation. A lot of headache can be avoided by just putting in some extra time to researching the area.
Go With The Flow
No matter how much anyone tries something could always go wrong. You could end up on one state while your luggage ends up in another. On a road trip you could get a flat. Maybe you’ll end up with food poisoning because something you ate didn’t agree with you. In an unfortunate event a concert you were looking forward to could get canceled. While you can’t prevent the unexpected from happening you can control your reaction to it. Just remember that you’re on vacation and it will all work out. If anything, it can be a story to tell.
Make It Yours
A lot of the time people take vacations and do things they feel they “should” be doing or go to places that are popular. A week is not long and doing something you think you should be doing rather than what reflects your interests and desires could lead to missing out on something more meaningful. Those seven days could be a great opportunity for personal growth and development. Maybe instead of going to Miami, or New York time could be better spent pursuing a passion you felt you never had the time to get into. Whether it’s painting, playing the guitar, or learning another skill this could be the perfect time to do it. There are no distractions, and you might find out something new about yourself. Regardless of what do, where you go, or if you want to take your vacation at all do it because you want to. It’s a short vacation, so make the best of it in your own way.