la paperie & cozy handmade journals: staycation = work?

Hubby and I try to take a 'stay-cation' about once a month - a weekend that we utilize to "rest up". With our busy lives and various responsibilities (spiritual, volunteer, secular), it's a challenge to keep ourselves feeling refreshed, with energy to give to each other, as well as to others. Like many, we just cannot afford to take a trip whenever the urge arises. Saving up for trips - even small ones - just isn't possible most of the time (too much month at the end of the money?). Thus, stay-cations must suffice.

While I love being home, the challenge of stay-cations, is to spend that time wisely. I find I still struggle with this. A stay-cation obviously means you are spending most of your time at home. This means you are more apt to notice things that need to be done... this also means that you usually end up working your vacation away. Or at least that's what generally happens to us!

If the weather is good during our staycations, hubby is usually outside in his garden or doing things around the house that need 'doing' (he's a very handy guy, which I'm thankful for). And moi? I'm usually working too, but on my journals! I'll admit, it's very difficult to stay away from my 'work' when I'm at home - mainly because I work at home during the week (which can be seen as an advantage or disadvantage depending on how you look at it). So I'm in the vicinity of my 'workplace'... it's not really conducive to resting, for me. Also, I do enjoy my work a great deal and it fulfills a lot of my creative cravings, you could say. During that time I am constantly brainstorming about new journals and possibilities.

While it's a good sign that I really do love what I do, the challenge is to find balance - I do NEED rest time, and yet I still tend to push myself to work while I'm at home, even if it's not a "work day" for me. After 5 years of being self-employed, I guess I am still striving to strike that balance of WORK vs. PLAY. It's more difficult than I ever would have thought.

Those of you who do 'stay-cations'... how do you strike that balance?

2 comments:

AnonymousMay 21, 2012 at 1:47 PM
Although I'm not self-employed, I also strive to find a balance between work and play. I enjoy stay-cations as well, but often feel like I should be doing something productive on the weekends (making new stock, cleaning the apartment). I've learned that making deals with myself, such as "if I work on new stock for two hours today, then I can take a nap or read a book". That way I can feel productive but lazy without any guilt.