Can Travel Be A Method Of Self-Care? Hell Yeah, It Can!
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OK, so travel as a method for self-care may not be for everyone. If traveling causes you tons of stress or you’re a certified homebody this may not be for you. But for those of you that enjoy travel or you feel the benefits outweigh the stress-inducing feelings you might feel, read on to find out how it can be used for self-care also.
I’m from the USA, where downtime isn’t exactly a coveted thing in corporate America. I read once some European nations are even going the way of Americans and cutting back on vacation times. Why? It has been proven repeatedly that downtime is necessary for our well-being. This article from Scientific Journal discusses that exact notion. With more studies proving the need for rest and relaxation, it seems that corporations are still pushing the whole productivity above all else rhetoric. And many of us buy into it, accepting less vacation time, working through non-paid lunches, and even working through our vacation days. Hell, I had a friend who didn’t want to leave the country for her honeymoon because she was always on call. She was not a neurosurgeon or anything even close. Although even neurosurgeons should be allowed and encouraged to unplug fully. You wouldn’t want an overstressed, overworked surgeon on the edge because he or she hasn’t had downtime in ages working on your brain, would you?
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So, you did get some time off but chose a staycation to relax. Depending on your budget and the amount of time off, this truly may be the best option for you. However, if you have several days and some money budgeted for fun, why not get out and explore? Don’t get me wrong, sometimes staycations have their place. However, if you chose to stay at home for your 2-week vacation, how much of that time will actually be spent relaxing? Will you curl up on the couch with some popcorn and Netflix and look around and think “oh I have to clean that” or “shoot I really should finish that project I started six months ago.” Maybe you won’t feel guilty about not touching those things for a couple of days, but eventually, the guilt will likely creep in. So you’ll either tackle the items or feel guilt over just chilling. How is that relaxing? It’s human nature to “get things done,” and we’re more likely to address that thing if it's there in our faces.
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However, if you travel AND leave your computer at home, you can actually tuck your to-do list away for a few days because there’s nothing to do but soak up the new scenery. You don’t have to travel far for this to happen. I grew up in a family that wasn’t very well off financially. We went on a lot of short vacations relatively close to home. I have many memories of trips that took us only a few hours to get to and staying 4 to a small room in a budget hotel. And I have lots of fond memories of the places that we saw close to home. Point is, even if your budget is tiny, if it’s important enough for you to experience downtime, you will find a way or learn to save the money for a getaway. And really, any time you invest in yourself, you are investing in your well-being which in turn increases your resiliency and overall happiness.
So travel helps you leave your to-do list behind which may help you to relax a bit, but how else does it help? Well, hopefully, you will choose a place that is fun for you. I personally love the ocean and nature. When I travel, if I can walk on a beach, it lights up my heart and soul in ways no other terrain can. Extra bonus points if it’s warm enough to swim. I’m in my 50s and still love riding the waves like a kid! I have a blast. And aren’t having fun and experiencing joy some of the ultimate self-care acts?
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I just mentioned two other reasons to travel for self-care. Different scenery and different weather. I live in an area where winter is experienced for several months. Sometimes we get snow as early as October and sometimes it’s not gone until May. I’m not a fan of cold weather or snow and having vacation time in the winter means warmth and sunshine to me which I very much crave in the months of extremely cold, dark, and dreary days. On the flip side, if you are someone that lives in a toasty climate year-round and you crave temperatures that don’t have you sweltering, going to a ski resort in Utah might be a very welcome and needed change and may feed your soul.
Changes in scenery especially when you can get into nature are great for getting in some fresh air. Not to mention the experience of peace and quiet that might be foreign to you if you’re in the hustle and bustle of a metropolitan area. A different locale also helps us break out of our routines which lights up those creative parts of our brains since we are processing new information and experiencing different patterns.
Science even backs up the idea travel helps to improve our well-being. Studies have found that travel can reduce stress and even lead to improved health. The findings also suggest that a vacation can help you improve brain resiliency because of the new ways you are experiencing life.
So, what are you waiting for? Don’t you want to feel better and focus on taking care of yourself? Really - who doesn’t want to experience less stress and more happiness? Even science says that vacationing is the way to go to improve our overall health! So get out there and take in new sights, sounds, smells, and wonders that travel has to offer.