Thoughts on Vacation and Rest
This summer, I want to release my Resting Guilt
I was on vacation last week and it was lovely. I stayed with my family at a lake in South Carolina. Days were unhurried and relaxed because there is no place to go and no timeline to be on. We filled our time with swimming and water sports, arts and crafts, reading, and games (I'll share a few photos at the end of this post).
I always love getting out of town. When I'm not staying in my home, I don't feel the pressure to do the big projects that need to get done around the house during days off of work. And while I love trips to exciting and far-flung destinations, going anywhere does the trick for me. Camping or staying at a simple rental an hour or two away is enough to get me out of my home routines. And getting out of the work and school weekday mindset feels so amazing.
The health benefits of both vacation (as in time away from work) and travel (as in going somewhere) are widely-acknowledged. Time away from work provides an opportunity to rest. Sleep, mental rest, and mind-wandering result in more positive emotions, and more creativity (this article notes that Lin-Manuel Miranda came up with the idea for Hamilton while on vacation). Stress reduction and cardiovascular benefits have been observed in people even before they go on vacation.
The trips I take frequently allow for more time outside. A recent article in the MAPP Magazine, which publishes articles from alumni of UPenn's Master of Applied Positive Psychology program, summarizes the benefits of time spent in nature: "nature can support our mental health, emotional well-being, creativity, and sense of awe and belonging" (I wrote about the benefits of awe here). Vacation also provides more time to be active outside. The combination of physical activity and being outdoors provides for extra mental and physical health benefits.
Vacation also allows for a reset on habits, or an opportunity to start a new habit. For example, it can be a great time to try out an improved sleep schedule. Or, you can start a new hobby and continue it once you are back on your regular schedule. For me, taking the first step in starting a new hobby is the hardest, so why not do it while on vacation when I am relaxed and have more time.
Travel to areas or countries that are foreign to us offers unique benefits. We learn about new cultures, which helps us be more curious and empathetic. Learning about new people and places also allows us to practice mindfulness in that the experiences when we travel often prod us to be fully present, immersed in what we are seeing and doing. This is particularly beneficial when traveling with loved ones and children. We can focus on connection with our family and friends without the distractions of our day-to-day life, and experiencing new places and cultures together can deepen bonds and create memories. Travel can be so beneficial that researchers have suggested prescribing it for illnesses (however they acknowledge that international travel is a luxury that isn't available to many people around the world).
Improved productivity is another benefit of taking a vacation. Productivity is a loaded word for me here in this special corner of the internet. I know that the root of my love of getting away is having an excuse to not be productive. Our culture's worship of productivity leads us to feel guilty for doing anything that isn't obviously or traditionally viewed as “productive”. I'll call this "Resting Guilt". As much as I write about how outrageous it is that we feel guilty for resting when it's been proven necessary for us to be at our best, I still fall victim to Resting Guilt all the time. When I am home, I feel that nagging guilt to do laundry, clean out closets, deep clean something. Doing those things feels like an "acceptable" use of my time off, whereas going for a meandering walk, reading a novel, or engaging in a grandma hobby does not.
The reality of my guilt is so frustrating. I know that there are studies demonstrating the benefits of rest, including that I will be more productive in the times when I turn myself back to work or caretaking. I also firmly believe that humans have inherent value, regardless of what or how much we produce. Why is it so hard to release the Resting Guilt? Why do I feel so good on a trip, knowing that I can kick back with a magazine because it's impossible for me to do my home chores because I am not home?
The truth is, I wish I was further in my journey to being able to fully accept and celebrate time I set aside at home to rest. When I go on a vacation, that becomes even more clear. I suspect this is true for many working moms. So I am going to show myself self-compassion for the fact that I am not where I want to be with this yet. And I am committing to spending a few hours each weekend for the rest of the summer doing something that is absolutely not "productive" in our culture's typical sense. I hope by doing this I will (i) actually rest more and (ii) practice resting without guilt. I will try to remember the health benefits garnered from rest and remind myself that I deserve to spend time resting in order to be the healthiest version of myself.
Summer always has challenges, right? The library has reading challenges. Gyms have class attendance challenges. Let's start a Resting Guilt challenge between now and Labor Day! Are you in? Reply in the comments or shoot me a message and let me know! Let's rest together and try to get rid of some of that guilt.
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And some other thoughts on…
A Gen Z writer talks about her generation's longing for a time before social-media.
Homeschooling multiple days a week at Disney World? Awesome or crazy?
The French don’t obsess over purpose and it’s okay at any age to pivot from a career that you thought was your purpose.
Another piece by researchers urging companies to stop dehumanizing workers.
A raw and powerful IG post by country musician Brittney Spencer about the dearth of female artists on country radio, and what that says about how our society values art created by women.
Here are a few vacation snaps - thank you SO much for reading.
I’m in!