“Rest is not idleness, and to lie sometimes on the grass under trees on a summer day, listening to the murmur of the water, or watching the clouds float across the sky, is by no means a waste of time.” – John Lebbock

Summer holidays are precious. Many of us have incredibly busy lives, and we look to use our holidays to recharge, relax, indulge, do fun things, enjoy our loved ones… wow, that’s already a lot to fit into a summer holiday.

Here’s the thing, to get the most out of a summer holiday, and not to leave feeling like you didn’t get everything you wanted from it, you need to plan. Even in the moments when you wish to go with the flow and enjoy not having a plan, you should plan. I don’t mean this in a ‘military operation’ way, but applying some kind of structure to your vacation days will ensure that you get the most efficient use out of your well-earned leisure time.

1. Plan for Unplanned Time

Going somewhere for a week with no plan at all, other than to see where the mood takes you, is nice in theory. However, having a full seven days with no direction can become boring, or make you feel like you didn’t make the best out of your time away. Make plans. Finite plans to do specific things, to see specific people, to visit specific places. But also, plan chunks of time where you have no plans at all. This means you get a balance between dedicated free-falling leisure time, and planned engagement. Also, holidays full of the same thing day after day can drag. Mixing up your schedule with tight and relaxed time will spice things up, and make you feel more resilient on your holiday.

2. Be Present

Please, please, please put your phone down. We can scroll on the other 51 weeks of the year (although, ideally not too much). Being in a beautiful place with the ones you love is a chance to disconnect from the digital world and enjoy the physical one. If you can resist your devices when they are on your person, leave them in your room, villa, tent or car for the day. Enjoy the freedom of digital disconnection, and real-world reconnection.

3. Do What You Wouldn’t at Home

Following on from number 2… You can watch TV at home. You can go to a British-themed pub (so just a pub) at home. You can eat cornflakes, at home. When in Rome. Do things that you wouldn’t normally do. Experience the uniqueness of the place you are in. Try a physical activity. Try new foods. Enter into experiences that, perhaps, you aren’t completely sold on. Take a risk. Experience life. Be resilient to the things that you aren’t sure about.

4. Engage in Tactile Activities

Do physical stuff. Board games… remember them? Play with your family and friends. Enter into tactile activities that help you clear your mind of other clutter that isn’t the present moment. Do things that make you and your loved ones enjoy joint experiences. From local market visits to skydives, from strolls to hikes, from tree climbing to deep diving… there is always something tangible to do.

5. Reflect and Process

Take time to be alone with your thoughts. Close your eyes, listen to the waves, the birds, the flowing river or the pure silence. Let your thoughts about your everyday life and the experiences of your holiday flow through your brain. Use regular opportunities of having nothing truly pressing in your schedule to allow your brain to rinse and find clarity.

By Chris Thomson

 

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