Leaving home to relax
A couple of weeks ago, Spencer and I went on a little staycation at a hotel less than an hour from our house. And despite the fact that I don’t have kids or a day job or a boss and make my own schedule, the break was exactly what I needed.
I had a (credit card rewards) free hotel night to use before a certain date, so off we went, leaving home on a Sunday afternoon. We ate and slept and read and watched stuff and… that’s kind of it. Found a used bookstore and a vintage candy shop. Hotel breakfast and grocery store dinner. We didn’t even do anything touristy (basically everything in that category was closed on the Monday we were there).
And no work.
No chores.
No demanding pets (as I type this I have 2 cats who have somehow found space ON my lap alongside my laptop).
I slept a lot. I took my time with stuff. I ate what I wanted (instead of what was in the fridge that needs to be eaten before it’s wasted).
The bulk of my time was spent reading for pleasure, though I’m sure in the back of my mind my subconscious was working on problem solving and big picture strategy. I tried not to look directly at work of any kind. My #3 Intellection requires the time to turn things over in the background.
I don’t completely understand why I need to leave the house entirely to be able to relax when I technically control my whole life, but you had better believe that I will be attempting a little staycation every six months or so.
Where in your life could you get some clarity just by leaving a situation for a short period of time?
For more stories about leaving home, check out my new short story collection Flight.
I'm so thrilled that you were able to get a break. I get that feeling of not being able to relax much at home (unless I'm being distracted by a TV show). Even after I'm technically retired, as I wander through my house, I'm constantly reminded of the to-do list and project ideas in my brain, even though many of them are not a requirement at all. Maybe it's because I rarely saw my mother sit still when raising 6 kids essentially on her own. She could have easily used child-rearing as an excuse, but chose to hold every office of the school PTA and serve as a Cub Scout Den Mother, and party planner for the local HOA. Or maybe because my grandmother was a farmer even after her husband died and worked every day from about 4 am to 11 pm. I think it would be extremely difficult for me to completely live a life of leisure. I would probably always feel guilty...although I'm willing to give it a try. :-)