We all love a holiday. Having a break from the daily grind is the best way to refresh, re-energise and refocus but it’s not always possible to take off for a long holiday, which is where the newest vacation trend – microcations – comes in handy.
The microcation squeezes all the benefits of a vacation into a short break and addresses all the reasons you might not have managed to have time away for a while. Personal commitments, pressures at work and financial constraints all can get in the way of taking a vacation so taking off for a short, mini break is easy to organise and can be easier on the bank balance.
The benefits of a microcation
Whether you’d like to tear yourselves away from the routine of daily life and have some excitement, or just leave the stress of life behind for some much-needed R&R, the microcation offers all the benefit of a longer holiday in a small package.
Short breaks of under four days achieve restorative benefits on par with longer vacations and are even better for your thinking patterns and mental health than a longer break. The benefits of a tiny vacation also extend way past your return home, as a study conducted by the University of South Australia demonstrated. Participants wore fitness trackers that showed improved health and sleep patterns for as long as two weeks after taking a long weekend consisting of three days on holiday.
Microcation – macro easy!
If the thought of planning a lengthy vacation makes your stress levels rise, think of how comparatively easy it is to plan a micro vacation. It’s much easier to be spontaneous when you are only heading off for a few days. You can make the most of last-minute special offers for accommodation or airfares, or even just hop in the car and see where you end up. And you don’t have to worry about luggage allowances or excess baggage!
Does not need to break the bank (or the budget)
A tiny break is a LOT cheaper than a lengthy holiday just because of the short duration but there are also a lot of ways to keep a lid on expenses when you are away for a small amount of time.
Check out special midweek offers or look at house sitting or pet sitting opportunities in the area you are thinking of visiting. You might get to stay somewhere stunning for a few days – with some fur babies to spend time with.
Making it a social trip can also make for a lovely time away – and cost savings. You could think about visiting friends who live somewhere nice or getting together with a group to rent a lovely house in a great spot.
Planning a road trip can be simpler if it’s just for a brief time. You could even try camping to get off the beaten track and go exploring.
Just think about how many of your holiday highlights have been those unplanned magic moments that only happen when you let go and be open to new experiences. So just clear your schedule for a few days and let the fun begin! You don’t even have to have a trip away to enjoy a short break. Just taking a break from routine and exploring what your local neighbourhood has to offer can lead to amazing experiences.
Making the best of a short break
It’s important to make the best of a microcation from the get-go as you don’t have the luxury of a week or so getting into “holiday mode.” Try to choose an environment that allows you to feel removed from your regular routine and responsibilities and detach from work as fully as possible.
There are no limits to how short a microcation has to be, so you could even do something nice on a weekend, in your lunchbreak or after work – anything that makes you happy, relaxed and gets you out of your regular routine will give you all the benefits of a microcation and leave you refreshed and ready to live your best life when you’re not on holiday!
i https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/
ii https://www.unisa.edu.au/media-centre/Releases/2023/time-out-we-all-need-a-three-day-weekend/
