Staycation - 10+ ideas of what you can do to make the most of your time

Life has been something of a challenge in the last couple of months as we juggle home, work and family while trying to make sure we keep ourselves and our communities as healthy as possible as we journey through the range of COVID-19 isolation levels.

COVID-19 has been a significant challenge in our lifetime and while its impacts are not over yet, let’s look at how we might turn some of the imposed restrictions into something positive as our lives begin to return to some sense of our pre COVID-19 routine, bearing in mind that, for some time to come, the new normal might require us to change how and where we work and how and where we travel or take a break. However, whatever our focus or our list of wants and needs, we know for certain that, for the foreseeable future, our respective governments require us to keep up to date and comply with any restrictions currently in place.

Through all of this, our own physical wellbeing as well as that of of our friends and family, has been a priority. Let’s not forget our mental wellbeing, which you may well have, at times, struggled with under lockdown and isolation. Have we banked some annual leave? Is this a good time to have a short break, to logoff our devices and put our phone down for a bit?

As restrictions are lifted a little at a time, it is still an excellent time to have a few days off, to indulge in some regenerating activities over an extended weekend. Not only will it help you, but it will also help businesses and organisations that may need to review the safe accommodation of staff returning to work.

Let’s assume travel restrictions are in place for a few months yet and think about what we can do locally, in a word, staycations. This can mean staying at home and organising your leisure activities locally, or, if current restrictions permit, being a tourist in your region or country. Some of the benefits of a home-based staycation are:

• Less time spent looking for travel deals
• Less money spent (hopefully!)
• No bags to pack or pets to organise
• Enjoying shopping locally and supporting your local economy
• No time zone changes
• Simple planning, especially if you have children to consider
• Making home a place to relax, have fun with your family/friends and indulge.

Who takes leave to stay at home?

Many of us might ask that question. Leave is often seen as needing to be saved up and having one big – and often expensive – holiday. Leave is primarily designed for rest and recreation – some “r & r”. With our stress and worry levels potentially being higher than usual, let’s disengage from work and other responsibilities by using some leave for a very local break. Have some fun while recharging your batteries by:

• Making it a time to reflect on what you are doing, how you are living your life and how you can do it better by including more recreation or voluntary work – revisit your boundaries
• Doing puzzles, art, watching favourite/new movies and reading
• Indulge your creative skills by changing your living area around and updating the colour scheme
• Take up a craft or work on your building skills – check out https://www.pinterest.nz/pin/204632376806951247/ or https://www.diynetwork.com/how-to
• Making a plan to play tourist and visit some local sites for which your city or town is renowned
• Eat out or buy a takeaway, or, if you prefer, practise your fine dining skills and share with friends and family (if restrictions allow family/friends to visit you)
• Listen to music or make your own if you have those talents
• Doing some daily exercise – videos and you-tube if you are housebound, parks, green areas if you are less restricted and can walk, bike or run in your local area

And if you have children, there are many options for a staycation, such as:

• Home-camping, either inside or out
• Boardgames and puzzles
• Family movies
• Colouring books – available for children and adults
• Restrictions permitting, hiking and biking as a family unit/bubble followed by a picnic or a bbq
• Indoor or outdoor scavenger hunts
• Writing a joint list (with your children) of all the things you are grateful for
• Go through your family photos and make a memory board together
• Visit favourite local places the children have selected.
• Restrictions permitting, a day trip for a picnic or a bbq.

The options are endless for a relaxing staycation, and the benefits very positive. By taking some of that leave and putting work aside, you can de-stress and make your home-based staycation rewarding and fun for everyone. Home is a great place and most often a safe place. While current restrictions are limiting what we can do, let’s take some time to indulge our creativity and reprioritise our plans.