I (Kendra | @drmimiphd) am motivated to travel for a few key reasons typically: (1) for culturally immersive experiences that expand my mind, view of the world, and perspective of self, (2) to connect with friends or family; and (3) to retreat - to vacate. More and more the latter is becoming more prominent in my travel plans.
I've come to find that at the peak of winter, especially, is a time that I need to travel to vacate. Perhaps it has something to do with the harsh winters where I live (in Michigan, USA); and/or it could be that as an academic, the long 4 month stretch between the end of calendar year break and the end of the second semester is a recipe begging for a time-out. I simply long for the warmth and light of the sun and new surrounds to awaken my brain and my spirit from the doldrums of winter. There simply aren't enough bubble baths, massage appointments, or simulated sunlight lamp sessions, to compensate for what nature robs me of in wintertime. So, while I typically like to "travel TO" a place to indulge in its culture and people, my self-care plan requires that I "travel FROM" my home for respite, rest, and restoration.
Here is how I set my intention and my tips for anyone looking to do the same:
(1) Pick a place. Virtually anywhere warm will do. I also violate my typical rule to not visit the same place twice. While my usual motto is, "there is too much world to go to the same place repeatedly", when I need a retreat it doesn't much matter. I usually let airline and hotel specials guide my choice. There almost always are promotions, particularly after the December travel peak, to Mexico, the West Indies, and Central and South America. In fact, going to a place I've been before helps me to resist the urge to jam pack my itinerary with tours and activities that may leave me enriched, but fatigued.
(2) Choose a hotel or resort that centers wellness and rest. Since my main objective is to rest and restore, I insist on a more luxurious hotel/resort that has remarkable spa treatments and wellness activities and amenities. Usually, I'd pre-plan my off-resort excursions and tours. In this case, I spend lots of time carefully reading the spa treatment descriptions to make the perfect choices that will help sooth whatever particular tension or ailment I may be experiencing at the time. I make sure to pre-book before arrival to ensure that I get exactly what I want when I want it. For a five day trip, days 2 & 4 are usually the days I indulge in spa treatments or wellness activities. Ideally, my room also has an in-room whirlpool tub or plunge pool, too, to unwind even more in the sanctuary of my private space. I also look for a hotel/resort with a robust breakfast option that's included and with ample room service for the times I just don't care to dine with others or have slept through the resorts' restaurants' dining hours. There's nothing worse when you are trying to relax than having to get up early, get dressed, wander around or find transportation just to go find someplace to eat a simple breakfast.
(3) Select and pre-book just a couple of low-energy tours/excursions. Usually, I'm up for ziplining through rainforests, hiking to peak lookouts, taking day-long tours of ancient ruins, and such. However, not on this type of trip. I'll only schedule things that I feel confident will contribute to my objective of self-care. This has taken the form of dinner at a highly rated off-resort restaurant, exploring an art gallery, going to hear live music, or because I find joy in music and dance I'll venture to a dance club near my hotel/resort to let go of some stress on the dance floor. I love to use the filters on Viator to search by type, length, and ratings. Whatever the activities, over the course of a 5 day trip, I schedule no more than about 2 to occur on the days that I'm not indulging in spa treatments. While I like to pre-book any tours and excursions that I choose, I make sure that they have a flexible cancellation policy (within 24 hours) and will definitely cancel if my mood dictates I do something different even if it's nothing. The idea is to not have to set an alarm - to allow my body to wake naturally, and then not be overly scheduled if scheduled at all.
(4) Splurge on comforts. To make sure my entire trip contributes to my sense of restoration, I do splurge on some things to ensure a hassle free journey. If I'm not automatically upgraded to first class, I'll often pay for the upgrade. Even so, I make sure to fly my preferred airline (Delta) where I have status and get certain perks like Sky Priority check-in and Sky Club (airport lounge) access that make for a more relaxing trip from the very start to the end. In addition, I'll often spring for a chauffeured car service to pick me up and drop me off at my door for transport to and from the airport so as not to worry if my rideshare will actually show or to have to fuss with airport parking, shuttles, or public transportation.
(5) Completely unplug. I set a pretty direct Out of Office message that explains that I'm away to rest and restore and that also notifies people that I will not be reading messages in my inbox when I return. (Check for an upcoming blog about what my OOO says specifically.) I make sure my immediate family knows precisely where I am and the phone number to the hotel/resort. While I leave my phone on to share my GPS location with my family for safety reasons, I turn-on "do not disturb"/"focus" to silence all calls and notifications and turn off notification badges. Only my adult sons' calls will bypass DND and they know it needs to be a REAL emergency to call. I spend my time journaling, lettering, coloring, reading something non-work-related, watching movies I've download or can screencast, sleeping, lounging poolside, and a whole bunch of nothing that ends up being EVERYTHING. In fact, I'm typically so analog that I don't end up with many photos of my trip because my phone is firmly tucked away. In between spa treatments and the couple of off-resort activities that I do schedule, I spend my time doing whatever I feel I need at the time. On my last day, perhaps at the airport while waiting for my return flight home, with clear and rested mind, is when I just might spend some time jotting down personal and professional goals for the next quarter of the year, but maybe not.
I've taken this kind of trip for the last three winters and each time I've returned home completely refreshed - lighter, brighter, and more centered. Even if you can't necessarily afford to go far or have the same kinds of indulges, I recommend finding your own ways to retreat when your body, mind, and soul are signaling to you that is what your need. Check out my next post for my winter 2023 trip to Tulum for self-care to see what this approach actually looks like in reality.