As I have entered an extreme amount of stress over the weeks since I took vacation, I can’t help but to think about what made vacation as rejuvenating it was.  I had the time to do whatever I wanted, which mostly revolved around reading non-scientific journals and eating my weight in crabs, shrimp and soft serve ice cream.  I saw the people who are positive and uplifting that live far away, played with young toddlers in the sand, and really was able to step back and realize how lucky I am to have these people in my life.  I was free during the Fourth of July, and honestly, that’s all I can think about as deadlines loom over my head.

I was talking to one of my friends about this recently, and how I really had a bad case of that “vacation hangover”.  Typically I counter this with by planning another vacation, which isn’t the most constructive use of my time….so I wanted to try something different this time around.  I wanted to think and pinpoint what made vacation feel so freeing.  Besides being at the beach, everything that made me have fun are things that I can incorporate into my daily life if I acknowledge that things need to change a little bit.  Reading on vacation doesn’t just have to happen on vacation, I literally felt like I got smacked in the head by common sense.  Although I was out of work and had free time to relax and refresh, the things I enjoyed, like having that one fancy meal or taking some time to read a chapter in a book, are TOTALLY things that can be done away from the shoreline.

I know that it is hard to get out of the daily routine, but I dare you to add ONE thing that you truly enjoy to your weekly routine.  Whether it is something as simple as reading a chapter in a book, or walking around for an hour outside just go and do it.  There is no reason why you can’t be rejuvenated on a daily or weekly basis.  I think I have placed so much energy on working that I forget that play is just as important, and honestly it is more vital then we tend to realize.  The freedom of vacation isn’t just something that can occur in the sea breeze, it is truly a state of mind.

So add that one thing that makes you relax; take a bath, go to the gym, read a book, draw….do whatever you need to refresh and make it a POINT to honor this addition in your routine.  Trust me, your sanity will thank you later.