Taking breaks from work can be challenging, especially when your bedroom and office are under the same room. Working from home presents many new obstacles, and one of the biggest is separating work hours from leisure hours. 

When the lines between your professional space and your home space are so blurred, it can be difficult to know where (or when) to draw the line. However, creating that boundary is extremely important for the health of your body, mind, and relationship with work. 

Without proper boundaries between work hours and relaxation hours, you might see a decline in mental health and experience difficulties with time management or burnout. As counterintuitive as it may feel at times, taking the time to actively step away from professional deadlines and focus purely on what makes you happy can make you a more efficient and productive worker. 

If you can relate to the sense of uncertainty that often accompanies striking that life/work balance from home, here are some “staycation” ideas that can help you find peace and quiet without costing the earth—or even require you to leave the house. 

1. Pamper your body

No matter who you are or what state your body is in, chances are it could do with some intense pampering to get rid of those post-work blues. Spoiling your body is one highly effective way to aid relaxation and alleviate unwanted tension that builds up during work hours. 

There are many easy and affordable ways to pamper your body from home. Some of them include: 

• Face masks

• A long, luxurious bath

• Massage

• Foot soaks

• Hair masks

None of these pampering techniques requires much more than some essential oils, lotions, and basic body products—and all of them are found in your local grocery stores. 

1. Prepare foreign cuisine for dinner

When overseas travel is simply not a viable option, you have to come up with creative ways to continue exploring the world and its diverse flavors. While going out to eat can be a wonderful experience, leaving the house is not always something you have the energy for after a long day of work.

Preparing and eating food at home from different cultures can give you the sense of excitement that you crave, without requiring you to go any further than the kitchen. 

Instead of ordering takeout next weekend, consider spoiling your taste buds with a traditional meal from another country or culture that you’ve always wanted to try. The process of preparing and cooking the food will take your mind off work, and you’ll feel proud of yourself for creating something delicious from scratch. 

1. Journal about your life

While journaling might not be the first activity that comes to mind when you think of vacation, writing out your thoughts, feelings, and ideas is often enjoyable and cathartic. 

Taking time out of your week to scribble out any pent-up emotions or worries can serve as a method for alleviating stress and providing you with a new perspective on life. We often get so wrapped up in our own heads that we forget how much of an effect overthinking has on our lives. 

Instead of allowing your stresses and anxieties to pile up in your mind, let them flow out through the act of self-expression. There are numerous studies that suggest journaling is one of the most effective ways to process powerful emotions—let’s take advantage of that. 

1. Spend quality time with family or friends

One of the main reasons we feel relaxed during vacation is because we are often surrounded by family and friends. But we shouldn’t have to go on holiday to experience the benefits of spending time with loved ones. 

Even though we might live with family or friends, we don’t always spend as much quality time with them as we should. This can lead to unnecessary tension or discomfort within the household. Both of which contribute to a sense of anxiety or stress. 

Actively deciding to set aside a few hours for quality family time can help you feel more at ease and bring forth a renewed sense of joy to your life. Game nights, dinners, walks to the park—these bonding exercises facilitate deeper connection and contentment. 

1. Have an all-out movie night

There’s nothing like watching a movie on the big screen. But going to the cinema can be expensive, and often, when you’re tired, leaving the house is the last thing you want to do. Fortunately, you can host a movie night at home without much effort or energy.

With just a projector or TV, a large mattress and a pile of blankets, you can settle in for a movie marathon extravaganza that whisks you off to other worlds. Turn down the lights, make some popcorn, prepare some fancy snacks, and enjoy an evening that makes you forget about real life for a while. 

1. Schedule “free” time

As much fun as it can be to plan ideas for having fun from home, it's also easy to forget how much value you can get from planning to do nothing in particular. 

We can get so caught up in this idea that in order to relax and have fun, we must somehow schedule certain activities into our lives. However, scheduling “free” time (that is, time within which you can do anything at all) can provide a necessary change from structured occupation. 

Making sure you have some free time available in the evenings or on the weekend can open up the potential for spontaneity. By scheduling in time to your life that exists purely for the sake of doing whatever feels natural, you might surprise yourself with what you end up doing. 

Whether that means going to the library, getting ice cream, or simply taking a very long nap, you deserve moments of freedom in between the madness of this world.  

We all need a break from chaotic routines and working from home. These mini staycation ideas are the key to relaxing, unwinding, and feeling refreshed. Treat yourself to an at-home getaway from daily life and you’ll soon see the difference.

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