10 Tips for a Restorative Vacation

The Art of Restorative Vacations

Welcome! I am a Denver counselor and an online life coach, and if you have been wondering about building emotional intelligence and happiness by way of restorative vacations, this is for you. As if any of us need extra reasons for a vacation, right? Follow along, and you might just learn something new!

It is vacation season, and you probably have some getaways planned, but if you are of the “rest is for mortals” mindset, you are not alone. Unfortunately, over half of all salaried Americans don’t even come close to using all their vacation time every year. They feel like they are too busy to take time off or that a vacation is an unnecessary luxury. Of course, those are the lucky ones. Many more Americans toil on, day in and day out, without any vacation at all out of necessity rather than self-imposed workaholism.

This is an issue. We deserve to be happier. Research consistently shows that working long hours with no breaks or meaningful downtime leads to lower productivity, increased depression and anxiety, and a reduced ability to solve problems well. It is a recipe for chronic stress and burnout that takes a toll on your mental health, your work, as well as your personal life. Finding ways to slow down periodically is crucial to your ability to function at your highest and best long term.

But, as we all know, just because you take some time off, or get out of town, doesn’t necessarily mean that you are going to come back feeling good, rested, and restored either. In fact, many people I speak with come back from their “vacations” feeling frazzled, stressed, overspent financially, and exhausted — and then get to enjoy a week or more of playing catch up upon their return. (I’m sure you’ve heard or even had said, “I need a vacation after my vacation!”)

Not fun.

So today, I’m bringing you ten tips that will help you make the most of your hard-earned vacation time — whether you travel to exotic lands or just stick around town.

We’ll be discussing how to fully lean into restorative vacations, along with:

1. Take time off without feeling guilty about it.
2. Use your vacation time intentionally and mindfully (focus on health and happiness).
3. Prepare to step out in such a way as to minimize “re-entry stress” upon your return.
4. Set boundaries with others (and yourself) so you can relax and be present.
5. Learn how to make the positive benefits of your vacation experience last, even after you’re back.

And that’s just the beginning! Join me for ten tips for restorative vacations on this episode of the Love, Happiness and Success podcast.

Xoxo, Dr. Lisa Marie Bobby