Practice Self-Care by Taking a Staycation
Self-care is critical for providers, now more than ever. And although healthcare professionals devote their lives to providing individualized, quality care for others, they often neglect themselves. To stave off issues like burnout, stress, depression, fatigue or even chronic disease, providers must make time to care for themselves.
Various facets of self-care are essential – eating right, sleeping well, exercising and practicing mindfulness, meditation or prayer, to name a few. However, if you’re looking for fresh ideas for self-care – easy and inexpensive ways to care for your mental, emotional, spiritual and physical health – look no further than the staycation! Whether you’re away on assignment or nestled at home, one of the best ways to relax and refresh is to pamper yourself. And there’s no question; you deserve it.
Here are the benefits of staycations, some staycation dos and don’ts, and staycation ideas to get you started.
The Benefits of Taking a Staycation
Why plan a staycation? There are so many reasons! With a staycation, you can:
- Save money
- Rest and recuperate
- Lower your stress level
- Leave your work behind
- Prioritize your mental, emotional, spiritual and physical well-being
- Learn something new
- Avoid crowds and traveling
- Spend time alone or bond with family and pets
Dos and Don’ts of Staycations
| Do… | Don’t… |
|---|---|
| Prepare your home in advance: clean, get groceries, buy flowers, set up candles, play your favorite music, prep snacks | Complete any housework or chores during the staycation |
| Clear your calendar, tell your family that you’re planning a staycation and block out the time for yourself | Check your work email, think about work or set your alarm clock to get up at work time |
| Focus on what you love doing rather than what you think you need to do | Burn up all your time on social media or shopping online |
| Make yourself the top priority | Allow yourself to feel one bit of guilt for taking the staycation you deserve! |
Top Staycation Ideas for Healthcare Providers
- Unplug and defrag – If it sounds appealing to you, enjoy a device-free weekend. Turn off the cell phones, computers and iPads and take the time to unwind off-line. Don’t watch or read the news. Notice how reducing your screentime reduces your stress level.
- Tour your town – See the local sights in your city. Check out what your town has to offer or even take a day trip to a nearby location. Local libraries usually have free passes to art and science museums and even local events.
- Get outdoors – Hike, bike, kayak, run, walk, skip, ski, swim, swing. Get some sunshine on your face, enjoy your local park, take a walk in the woods, sit by the ocean or swim in the sea. Take advantage of the nature opportunities your area has to offer.
- Learn something new – Take an in-person class in cooking, drawing, painting, dancing, sign language, yoga or pottery. If you’d rather stay in, sign up for an online workshop through a venue like Skillshare, MasterClass, Craftsy or Udemy.
- Enjoy a spa day – Either treat yourself to a day at the spa or save money and have a spa day at home. Soak in the bath, give yourself a mani-pedi and facial, deep condition your hair. Or call a massage therapist in for a home visit.
- Dine outside – Take a picnic to your local park, set up a table on your back porch or throw down a blanket in your yard. Food seems to taste better outside, and it’s more fun to eat there, too!
- Have a relaxed get-together – Have a stress-free gathering with a few friends. Invite your faves over for a barbecue or game night.
- Treat yourself – Make brunch. Or make smores. Or make pancakes. Or make a gourmet meal. Or have breakfast in bed. Or eat homemade cookies on the couch. Or order in. Or make an ice cream sundae.
- Read away the day – Head to the library and load up on your favorite books. Bury yourself in a bunch of big coffee table books with beautiful photographs, breeze through an easy beach-read or dig deep into the classics.
- Play – Get out all the blankets and cushions and build a fort in your living room like you’re a kid. Or camp out in your backyard. If you’ve got kids, include them or send them off to their grandparents’ or a friend’s house and play all by yourself.
- Make it a movie night – Watch back-to-back movies on your favorite streaming service. Get the popcorn and movie snacks ready and catch up on recent movies or watch a series.
- Have a slumber party – Nap and catch up on much-needed rest. Or just wear your PJs all day and enjoy time relaxing.
- Get lost in games – If you’re flying solo for your staycation, play solitaire, work on a jigsaw puzzle, play word games or solve crossword puzzles. If you’ve got company, dig out old favorites like charades, Pictionary, Jenga, checkers or Monopoly. Or take a trip to the store and see what board games are new.
- Work on a hobby – Devote your staycation time to honing your hobby. Are you into woodwork, beading, needlepoint, calligraphy or clay? How about gardening, writing, photography, singing, playing an instrument, investing or genealogy? Immerse yourself.
- Create ambiance – Pretend you’re on vacation by lighting a fire in your fireplace or chiminea and snuggling up with your loved one, or enjoy the time by the fire yourself with a mug of hot chocolate.
Why not plan a staycation soon? You might be surprised at how rewarding a staycation can be. You’ll return to work renewed and refreshed (and maybe even thinking about planning your next staycation)!
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