4 Ways to Get A 15 Minute Vacation Every Day

We make it to work on time. We plan social events. We pick the kids up from practice. Then we pull out our phones and plug in another date and time.

If we can very easily plan away our days, why is it so hard to find a moment for ourselves?

Photo Credit: Ellen Munro, Creative Commons

Today’s busy society makes us feel like we have to exhaust ourselves for other people but never take personal time. Like if our day isn’t completely booked, then we’re doing something wrong.

The high standard for production has some serious personal consequences.

We don’t refuel and, as a result, watch our energy tank dip to empty.

To combat the daily grind, we have to be proactive about not wearing ourselves down.

So how do we find the balance between the time we give away and the moments we hold onto? What steps can we take to get back some of the self that we’ve spent on others?

Go on vacation.

When we get away, we loosen up and do things we enjoy. Though we can’t go to the beach or the mountains every week, we can take few moments daily to rest and restore. Here are four ways to use vacation as inspiration to set aside 15 minutes for ourselves every day:

1. Set an alarm.

Instead of rolling out of bed in just enough time to get to your summer celebration, set your alarm 15 minutes earlier. Take that extra time to wake up slow and read something inspirational to set yourself up for success in the day ahead. For anyone who has a tendency to “wake up on the wrong side of the bed,” this will start you off on the right foot as you’re headed to the beach or into the office.

2. Hide the phone.

While it’s completely normal to text while making the walk across campus or listen to music during a workout, try to put away the distraction of devices for a couple minutes out of your day. Zip your phone in your brief case, bury it in your suitcase, and have some time in your own head.

3. Schedule a break.

We plan for work meetings and to watch our favorite TV show, why not write down in the calendar “15 minutes for me?” Pick a day, a time and meet with yourself to do something you enjoy.

4. Go for a walk.

During vacation you take the energy you would normally put towards work and invest it in yourself. Refresh your body and mind by strolling along the beach, hiking a nearby trail, or just seeing where the sidewalk goes. Turn your extra activity into an escape.

Your life is a gift to others but it’s also a blessing to you.

It’s well worth the 15 minutes of your day to remember where you’ve been, embrace where you’re at, and look forward to where you’re going. This mini vacation will turn the every day into a getaway.

4 Ways to Get A 15 Minute Vacation Every Day is a post from: Storyline Blog