staycation

you've been conditioned to believe that rest requires an exotic destination. that you need to physically escape your life to enjoy it. that's a lie sold to you by the travel industry, and it's keeping you from ever actually recharging.

the vacation trap

most people come back from vacation more exhausted than when they left. airports, itineraries, tourist traps, the financial hangover — it's not rest, it's a different flavor of stress with better scenery.

a staycation strips away the illusion. it's just you, your home, your city, and a block of unstructured time. and for most people, that sounds boring. which tells you everything about how disconnected you are from your own environment.

how to do this right

take actual time off work. not a weekend — at minimum three days where you have zero obligations. then follow these rules:

• no productive tasks — no cleaning, no errands, no "catching up" on email
• no screens before noon — let your brain wake up without input
• explore your own city — visit the museum you've lived near for years but never entered, eat at the restaurant you always pass, walk the neighborhood you've never explored
• do one thing you'd only do on vacation — sleep in, take a bath at 2 PM, read a novel in one sitting, cook an elaborate meal with nowhere to be

why this matters

if you can't enjoy time off in your own home, the problem isn't your location. it's your relationship with stillness. the inability to relax without distraction or destination is a symptom of a deeper restlessness that no amount of travel will fix.

learn to be at peace where you are. everything else is just running away with a suitcase.

if this resonated, share it with someone who needs to hear it.