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Are you going a little stir crazy tucked away at home, whether with your family or by yourself? You’re not alone! I thought a guide on how to have some fun while self-quarantining would be just what the doctor ordered. Think of it as an at home staycation. I know that a staycation usually means staying in town, not in your house. Still, it can be as much fun, if not more, to plan an in-home staycation. Here’s my easy 2 step process to planning the ultimate staycation while practicing social distancing.
Step number 1...Have a vision
If you had unlimited resources to create the perfect day for yourself, what would that look like? Would you go to the spa? Lay on the beach drinking fruity rum drinks? Go on a hiking adventure? Would you go out of your way to eat any particular food? Grab a pen (or a pencil) and a sheet of paper and start dreaming. Describe your perfect day.
Sometimes our personal vision of a perfect day does not match with that of our partner, or with our family. That’s OK. The good news here is that your staycation is going to last more than one day. You’ll have the opportunity to repeat this process as many times as you want which means each member of the family can create their own vision.
Have fun with this process.
This is permission to put no limits on your imagination. Treat it like an empowering exercise meant to make you feel good. Remember when you were a child and played pretend? Or now that you are a parent watching your child play pretend? Put yourself back in that state of mind.
No lie, there are no limits to this exercise. It feels good to dream and even better to let it out and get in touch with what you desire. Even if you don’t have everything you need to create that day to the fullest extent, there will be some part of it that you can create. Go full out and dream big. Please. You owe it to yourself and to the world! Go on. I’ll wait.
Now that we have that out of the way it’s time to implement.
Step number 2...Bring your vision to life!
Read through what you wrote down. Keep your imagination tuned in and turned up while reading and think about ways to bring your ideas to life. Here are six examples of ideas to include in your staycation and how to create them.
This list is not all inclusive. It’s meant to be a springboard to get your own creativity flowing. The point is to have fun. We are facing unprecedented times. Let’s navigate that uncharted territory with some fun. As Van Wilder would say, “Worry is like a rocking chair, it gives you something to do but doesn’t get you very far.” Instead, let’s find a fun a cure for the boredom and raise our spirits in the process. Collectively, we have spent a lot of time in worry and anxiety lately.
Instead, let’s find a fun a cure for the boredom and raise our spirits in the process.
“Worry is like a rocking chair, it gives you something to do but doesn’t get you very far.” – Van Wilder
Have a spa day
Set up a room in your house to be a spa. Bring out your mirrors, hair accessories, make-up, nail polish and massage oils. Find some relaxing music and let that play softly in the background, as it would be in a spa or meditation room.
Spend the day pampering yourself. Remember, no one else is going to see you. Pour yourself a glass of bubbly and get started.
Want a facial? Go ahead and put cucumbers over your eyes with a face mask on and relax on the couch while it sets. If you’ve been feeling stressed and anxious, this may do wonders for relaxation. Let the soothing sounds of music from the playlist you found on Spotify provide extra relaxation.
Thinking that a mani/pedi is more like it? Soak your feet, use that massage oil and pamper yourself with a massage. Sit back, relax and treat yourself like the amazing human being that you are! And for added fun, after your done at the spa you can get dressed for date night.
Date Night
Whether your single, in a relationship or have a family to care for during this time, it’s important to take time for yourself. Plan a date night in with your significant other, OR take yourself on a date. Put your hair up, and put your dancing shoes on. Prepare your favorite meal as part of your date and make it fun and relaxing. You could even try something new that you’ve always wanted to make but never found time for.
After dinner, turn the music up and practice your dance moves on the kitchen floor. You just had a spa treatment, remember? Now, you’re wearing clothes that make you feel fabulous right? If you’re brave enough, go ahead and make a video and post it on Facebook (or TikTok). It’ll change your mood, push you outside your comfort zone and provide hope and positivity to those that need it during this time.
Go camping.. In your own living room
Yep, you heard right. Get out the blankets, pillows and chairs. Make a blanket fort, sit inside and play a game, watch a movie or eat a meal. Hang out and have some fun, make some memories that will last a lifetime. It’s OK to let go of the idea that you have to be all adult all the time. Cut loose, use your imagination and enjoy your camping experience. Then, go outside, fire up the grill (or fire pit if you’re in a place that allows it) and make some s’mores. While you’re at it, spend some time looking at the starts and see how many constellations you can find.
Go on a driving tour of your town or city
Practicing social distancing doesn’t mean that you can’t get in your car and go for a drive. There’s been campaigns to help show solidarity and show support across the country. Drive around to look at the sidewalk art done by children going stir crazy at home. See how many teddy bears you can find in windows of houses. If that’s not what’s going on in your area, look up the way your city and state are coming together during the shelter in place orders, then go out to experience that.
If that fails, find a spot in nature that allows for a scenic drive and enjoy the views. Or you could even seek out the nearest outdoor art exhibit and enjoy the view as you drive by and look, all while tucked safely in your car. Pack a lunch and a blanket and eat lunch sitting on the hood of your car someplace quiet.
Hang out at the beach
Maybe the beach is more your scene? I know that’s the case for me. I love the beach! Download an app on your phone that will play the sounds of the beach as white noise in the background. Turn the heat up, fix yourself a cocktail (or mocktail), and put on your suit.
You now have all the elements you need to imagine yourself sitting on a gorgeous white sand beach someplace tropical. But, if you want to make it better, grab your sunglasses, that book you’ve been meaning to read and the brightest lamp you can find. These “extras” can help you feel like you’re really there.
Learn something new
Does your ultimate day/vacation includes being in a country that speaks another language? Take a course to learn the language, if you’re reading this you probably have the free time to indulge like that now. You’ll be able to internalize how it feels to go to the country and speak a new language. If a language course isn’t your cup of tea, there are other options. How about taking a course on the history or current culture of the place that you would like to visit? In any case, do something to help you feel what it feels like to be on that vacation you’re imagining.
Are you an aspiring artist? Crafter? Writer? Take a course. Internalize the feeling of being the person you want to be on the trip that you want to be on. Even if you can’t go anywhere now, you can shift the state of mind that you are in. You do this by putting yourself there in your imagination.
One of the most important things that we can do for ourselves, others that we care about, and the world in general right now is keep our vibration in the highest state possible. We do this by focusing our attention on the right things and letting go of the things that bring our spirits down. Whatever that looks like for you, I encourage you to find it. Go inside yourself for answers and have fun along the way.
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