For children, going on holiday is something magical. As you get older, things are a little different. While you may still be looking forward to your vacation, you won't be able to enjoy it to the fullest like you did as a kid because your to-do list of all the tasks you need to do before you leave will keep you from doing so. When you finally arrive at your destination, you find that you are still thinking about work, or about the dog sitter, or that you have forgotten something. Before you know it, several days have passed before you can fully relax and fall into vacation mode. But still there is somewhere inside you, still that playful child. Vacation can be the optimal time to connect with that part of you. Follow these five steps to make it easier:
1. Let go of responsibility
If you are the police officer, nurse and entertainer, how can you enjoy yourself? In any case, take a day or two as a non-responsibility day. If you can, give the responsibility to another adult who is with you. Explain that the designated day is your day off and there will be no problems or obstacles on your plate. Give yourself permission to eat breakfast alone or read a whole book. In case you can't pass the responsibility on to another adult, give the kids a little more leeway than usual, then you can have some "me" time. Or consider hiring a babysitter for an afternoon. Most hotels have on-site childcare or babysitters for hire.
2. Do some crazy things
Society forces you to act a certain way in social norms. Some of those rules you can throw out the window on vacation. You'll probably never see those strange people you see there again, so you can afford to go a little crazy. If your accommodation offers entertainment, dance when a band is playing, or take part in water sports activities. There are plenty of choices. Ask yourself, “What would I do when I was little?” Allow yourself to be as you were as a child, and you will have a lot of fun.
3. Try something new
Being away from home, in a remote place, can make you more of a risk taker. Take advantage of this temporary freedom from inhibitions to try something new:go parasailing, take surfing lessons or go diving. Let yourself go and let go of all the reasons why you shouldn't try those things. Embrace the philosophy, YOLO (You Only Live Once), even if it's just for a day. When you give in to your adventurous side, you feel excited and see life from a different perspective. On top of that, you'll have a great story to tell when you return.
4. Play
Remember the time before all the responsibility came? You took part in that game of beach volleyball and played soccer. Get yourself out of the goal-directed mindset and jump into free play time where you don't look at a clock or worry about the next moment. Playing can unlock your creativity in enormous ways. You see things from a broader perspective. While playing, you get a sense of the deeper meaning of life. And when you go back to work, you can try adding this deeper insight to your day-to-day decisions.
5. Be present
It can be difficult to be always present if you're worried about obligations at home or always connected to your phone. Unless you have pressing issues that require you to keep checking emails, texts, or social media, put your phone away. Set up an automatic out of office message and if something pops up, ask yourself, “Can this wait?” There is a good chance that this is possible. If the world won't come crashing down around you by not listening to it, then let it go.
