“I need a vacation.”
I can pretty much BET you’ve said this a time or two. I bet you’ve also had times when you’ve followed that statement by saying “….but I can’t take a vacation.”
Maybe money is tight, maybe you’re too busy, maybe the time just isn’t right. For whatever reason, if you are saying to yourself that you need a vacation, then it is time. If money is tight though, then an option that you could consider is to check out something like this headout website to help you save some money on your mini vacation, but it’s up to you for what you do. There are loads of places that you can go on holiday to though, you don’t just have to find the most expensive thing out there. For example, you might decide that you like the look of going on a ferry to holland, whatever you like the idea of doing you’ll be able to afford a way to do it somehow. Doesn’t matter what it is that you want to do. You might want to splurge your money on a nice location to spend your time in, you might prefer using a company like NetJets to help you travel in style, whatever you decide you want, you can afford it somehow.
What do you think about when you think of vacation? A week off, traveling to a desired location? Two weeks off? A long weekend at minimum? I want to challenge you to widen your definition. You CAN take a vacation in 4 hours or less….if you redefine what a vacation can be.
Today I gave someone a ride to an area of town that I don’t normally frequent. My intention was to drop them off and head downtown to one of my go-to coffee shops to grab my morning coff
ee. On the way, I passed by a coffee shop in a cute little neighborhood on the outskirts of downtown. I told myself that I should go there instead and try something new. That’s exactly what I did, and guess what? I felt like I was in some “other” town that I wasn’t familiar with, enjoying a new neighborhood and vibe that I hadn’t been exposed to before. I stayed for over two hours enjoying my time there, just like I was on vacation!
You can take a vacation like this too.
Here is how to take a vacation in 4 hours or less:
1. Figure out what you want to do.
You can plan to be alone, or plan to enjoy your “vacation” with others. What have you been “feeling” like you want to do lately?
Below is a list of suggestions in case you need to get the brain rolling. Just make sure that your brain doesn’t allow you to think of doing these things somewhere you’ve been before.
– Visit a park that you’ve never seen.
– Check out a new coffee shop.
– Have lunch on the other side of town.
– Browse through an antique or flea market.
– Go see a show that sounds interesting.
– Find a fitness class that sounds like fun.
– Commit Saturday morning to a new-to-you Farmers Market
– Play putt-putt at a place you’ve never been before.
– Visit a bowling alley that isn’t your regular spot.
– Be adventurous at walking trails.
2. Set aside some time.
You don’t need a whole day to do this. You can go on vacation for an hour, two hours, or for an afternoon. Take a small block of time to get away. Put it on your calendar and commit to it as a non-negotiable. Do this ASAP.
3. Either scout out your activity, or go where the wind takes you.
If you are going to plan your activity ahead of time — but you’re not sure where to go — think about what type of things you want to do and then explore the options via GoogleMaps, TripAdvisor or by asking someone who has been there before.
Ready to go where the wind takes you? Find a part of town that you are dying to explore, drive there, park your car, and set off. Ditch the phone, but take a watch if you are on a time schedule.
4. Be brave and don’t flake out.
What if you get there and then decide this was a bad idea? Remember: Things don’t always look the way they might seem.
This may be the challenging part for some people. It is for me sometimes. When I pulled up to that coffee shop, I parked my car, peeked in the window, and decided it probably wasn’t the best place for me to hang out. I pushed myself and went in anyway. The two hours that I was there, I enjoyed watching the immense number of neighbors walking in and out, having familiar conversations with their barista. I am so glad I went in!
Push through and have your vacation. You can’t decide if it was the right fit for you if you never try to begin with.
5. Make it a real vacation.
There is a trick to making this work: You DO need a pre-determined mind-set to not think about anything going on in your normal life. Just like when you take a few days or a week to travel, you have to let your brain go into “let go” mode during the block of time that you are enjoying your new experience.
It might be hard to completely let go for a few hours, however, the more often you do this, the easier it will get….if you practice (by taking these vacations regularly).
Have you ever taken a “4 hours or less” vacation? What did YOU do? Inspire us with your ideas by replying below.