September 02, 2020

7 Ways a Staycation Can Be as Good as a Holiday Away

Taking care of our mental health by resting when we need to is more important than ever (1) and with a vacation often being the first port of call when it comes to winding down and taking some time out for ourselves, we have come across a huge challenge in rethinking the way we can take a well earned holiday.

This year has called for many changes in the way we do things. From the way we work and learn to the way we relax and spend time with family and friends.

The staycation isn’t a new thing. For years, people have used this method of switching off as a way to save money. But there are more benefits to relaxing at home than just easing up on our wallets. We have listed a few:

Less environmental impact

As we have mentioned in a recent blog post, overseas travel can be harmful to our planet (2). Tourism and travel are one of the greatest causes of greenhouse gas. In fact, traveling somewhere far away is now known to be the single biggest action an individual can take to worsen climate change. Choosing a holiday at home is helping save the planet and we can feel really good about it.

It gives you more relaxation time

One thing about traveling abroad or even to a new area, is you have to lose a certain amount of time (sometimes days) from your break. Add to this any jetlag you might experience and you could see your actual holiday time reduce dramatically. Staying at home means no travel time, no adjusting and no wasted hours in airports.

Less planning involved

With no tickets to book, passports to check, cars to service or bags to pack - you will save yourself a lot of time and brainpower, not to mention stress. And how about the dreaded outfit planning?! The amount of time and unnecessary thought put into an every-scenario ensemble selection can be astonishing.

Support local business

It’s such a common thought process ‘We’ll go there one day, it’s not going anywhere!’ There is no time as important as now to support our locally run businesses and visit attractions at our doorsteps. It can be amazing what we can find and rediscover in our own neighborhood and the benefit to the local economy (3) can be huge.

Don't have to arrange pet care

Organizing pet care when you go away is another bit of life-admin we could do without right? And the cost - crazy! Even locking in a friend to visit and feed your moggy every day can be a hard task. Not having to check our pets into their own hotels can be a godsend.

Appreciation of what you have

Being able to take a step back and look at the kinds of fun or relaxing things we can do in our own homes can remind us how lucky we are. Sitting around a campfire in the back yard to roast marshmallows or with a glass of wine, an at-home spa day with face-masks, a movie afternoon with popcorn and Maltesers - our homes have endless possibilities! Check out this handy list (4).

No weather worries

We don’t know about you but the week leading up to any vacation away, there is the constant checking of weather apps and the endless praying for sun. Not having to worry about the weather can take a huge load off our minds. If it rains, you can change your plans to suit day-by-day.

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