The Numerous Benefits of Vacation
We are always busy: working, family, running around, shopping, etc. But when we take time to ourselves we can experience the numerous benefits of vacation.
Some of us travel and experience new cultures, others rest on the beach. Some visit family, and sometimes we have the opportunity to travel halfway around the world. None of these approaches to vacations are wrong – all forms of vacation can be highly beneficial.
Beach Vacation Rest & Relaxation
The first type of vacation that comes to mind starting at this time of year is the beach vacation.
As the snow starts to fly here in Canada, delaying it with a week of hot weather is very enticing.
Mexico, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Bahamas, and Panama are popular destinations. When it’s 5deg in up here, it’s 35deg down there. Rest, relaxation, recreation, and rum are the usual schedule.
Sure some people just lay on the beach getting sun burned and slugging back cocktails. And there is definitely a place for that. But there are many other things you can do that actually benefit you.
While on a beach vacation, I recommend:
- Sleep. Getting 1-2 weeks of full night’s sleep can work wonders for your health and wellness
- Eat Healthy. Yes load up on deserts and all the goodies, but you usually have an opportunity to eat a lot of fruit and veggies too.
- Exercise. Don’t just lay around all day, get your exercise too. Swim, walk, run on the beach, crash waves, go to the gym, do pushups, play tennis, play table tennis, and use the kayak. I was even lucky enough to have a climbing wall at my last resort
- Speak the local language. Travelling gives you the opportunity to hear and speak a foreign language. 1 week in a country is worn more than 1 month of intensive study.
- Read. This is your opportunity to read new books. Business, sport, health, homesteading, exercise, politics, or even fiction. Load up your Kindle and take advantage of this opportunity.
International Travel
International travel is very fulfilling and very stressful at the same time.
Though you can do most of the same things as above, you definitely do not relax nearly as much as you do on a beach vacation.
When you are travelling internationally, you are always on the go. Sightseeing, tourist traps, city walks, and posing for endless photos. There is never a dull moment when you are trying to see everything!
Early trains and red-eye flights. Noisy hostel rooms or paper-thin hotel walls. You definitely do not sleep as much as you would like. But this is also the most fulfilling type of travel.
International flights are quite inexpensive these days – take advantage of this opportunity!
Visiting Family
Sometimes relaxing or sometimes stressful – taking your time off to visit family is a great idea.
WIth the pace of modern life, we don’t see our loved ones nearly often enough.
If you still have parents or grandparents, go visit them! Aunts, uncles, and cousins – how many of us have relatives that we haven’t seen for years? Most of us.
Sure Christmas and Thanksgiving a a traditional time for this. But if you have the opportunity, try a different time of year.
It is hard to think that you would ever regret visiting more with your family.
Staycation
Imagine the number of projects you could get done if you had a full week at home without having to work at all?
- Build that raised garden bed or hen house
- Set up your backup batteries and solar panel
- Do some target practice at the range
- Watch some of those Permaculture DVDs
- Restain your deck
- Plant some more fruit trees
Obviously the list is endless, especially amongst us striving for self-sufficiency
These are my thoughts on the benefits of vacation.
How do you vacation? What do you do?