Understanding “Staycation”

When I first heard the term “staycation” earlier this year I thought it was lame.  I know it was supposed to put a positive spin on the fact that many of us could not afford vacations this year, but to me it just represented the poor economy and individual hard times being felt across the country. I am feeling a little different about it today.

Since I work from home most of the time, I feel like I am “at the office” all the time.  Even if there is nothing pressing to do, I see the computer… I feel the work vibe… which interferes with the relaxation vibe.  In addition to that, my phone rings constantly. My freelance writing is pretty much done only in the morning and late at night after everyone’s in bed.  But my real estate job has no hours and is attached to my cell phone, which is my home phone.  There is no separation. The phone rings from 7am past 10pm.  Even when I know the caller doesn’t need or expect a return call right that minute, I know I owe one and that also cuts into the relaxation vibe.

So when I first heard about people taking staycations it sounded like the stupidest thing in the world.  Although I could easily move my freelance writing and real estate office downstairs, freeing up the house from any work type energy, I couldn’t stop my phone from ringing. Or the mail from coming with bills. Or people needing me. Or stopping by. Even if no one did call or stop by there is always the possibility that they might which would make it impossible to completely relax and get away from it all.  Even though we were not able to take a vacation this year, no, I was not tempted to look into this staycation business.

I will amend that to say that I thought a lot about what a nice vacation it would be for me to stay home by myself for a week while everyone else went out away.  Not that I don’t enjoy them home, but because the summer was long with the kids home from school and hubby laid off work.  And everybody was HOME.  My work was interrupted, by home cleaning/organizing/projects were interrupted.  I still feel overwhelmed by all the unfinished projects and things that never even got started.

So now I am realizing that the “staying home” part of the staycation is not such a bad thing.  I already realize the home maintenance benefits of being able to send the family away and focus all my energies on the house for a week.  But couldn’t I also send everything else away and focus all my energies on my family for a week, just as if we WERE out of town?

We love our orlando vacations, but it isn’t Seaworld or the fun of hotel living with no bedtimes that is life changing.  It’s the BEING TOGETHER.

Experts tell us, and we know from experience, that we need breaks.  Vacations are not a “spoil” or something to feel bad about needing/taking.  Vacations refresh us from the challenges and every day hard work of life.  They give us a much needed break from the bills and responsibilities.  Vacations give us the strength to start over fresh and strong and are able to keep going and exceed our own goals and expectations.

So how do you get that feeling of renewal and getting re-energized while staying at home?  I am not sure because I think it will be different for everyone.  For us it would be to first set a budget, just like a vacation, so that we don’t feel guilty about spending on a fancy night out at home.  Then we’d have to move everything work and office related to the basement, putting a hold on the mail at the post office, and notifiying friends/family/work & associates that we are on vacation and not to call/come over.  Then plan activities ahead. A dinner at a favorite place, a play, big night at the movies… whatever the budget can accommodate.   And also plan things at home.  Game nights, sleeping in, family project, movie marathon, Wii tournaments, whatever.  The important thing is to only focus on one another.  No phone calls, no funny texts to forward, no mowing the lawn, etc.  Just each other.

It seems like our household has been in a state of hostility/impatience for a while now.  We could all use fun and relief and the house could use the cleansing.  I’m excited suddenly and wonder if we can pull it off?  Has anyone really tried it?  Or did we all just use the term “staycation” as a funny way to say we had to skip the family trip this year?