Sometimes the most rewarding vacation is the one spent in your own home. Free from the stresses of making travel plans, packing, catching flights and adhering to a strict itinerary, you can be self-indulgent and truly take a much-deserved break. Plus, you might even save a little money! But maybe you’re struggling to figure out what to do on a staycation.

Taking an at-home vacation may not have been your first choice – but that doesn’t mean it can’t be great! Take advantage of your staycation and make sure to dedicate some time to relax and invest in some self-care. We bet you’ll have a fun, rejuvenating and even productive time. 

Here are six things to do on a staycation. So go ahead, enjoy some rest and relaxation right in the comfort of your own home. 
 

1. Treat yourself to a home spa day

No vacation, or staycation, is complete without a relaxing spa day. With so many at-home skincare and beauty kits to choose from, there are many ways to plan a day to rest, relax and pamper yourself. Put on your favorite fluffy robe and start your morning with a nutritious breakfast and mint tea. Kick back with a moisturizing face mask and gel eye mask. Reveal your skin’s glow by trying a microdermabrasion kit and treat yourself to a manicure and pedicure. 

Round out the day by breaking out that fancy bath bomb you’ve been saving and slipping into a hot bath complete with candles and some relaxing music. Focus on your physical and mental health and you’ll end the day feeling relaxed and more connected to yourself.

Men can get in on the action, too! Try a face mask and see for yourself what all the fuss is about. (You know you’re curious.)

2. Hone your cooking skills

Photo by Toa Heftiba on Unsplash

Have a recipe that you’ve always wanted to try but never had the time? Now is the perfect opportunity to take it on. Whether you consider yourself a beginner cook or a master chef, there are plenty of ways to challenge yourself in the kitchen. Brush up on your culinary skills by committing to cooking a simple meal every day. Or if you want to take your abilities to the next level, try a more complicated recipe that might have intimidated you in the past. Now is the time to experiment!

Spice up your at-home cooking adventures by inviting your friends to a digital cooking “throwdown.” Pick a recipe or choose a list of ingredients and video chat with your loved ones as you all work on creating your dishes together. There are no losers here: Everyone wins with a fun bonding experience and a delicious home-cooked meal. 

Browse Jenny Craig’s simple, delicious recipes for some serious meal inspiration, without a ton of messy clean-up.

3. Disconnect from technology, reconnect to the real world

At home, you might be tempted to surround yourself with technology and the latest news, but take some time to step away from your devices, breathe and realign yourself with positive priorities. Research has found that technology and social media use raises cortisol levels, your body’s stress hormone.¹ In addition, a survey by the American Psychological Association found that 56% of Americans said following the news causes them stress.²

Tune out the overwhelming barrage of information and updates from your devices and spend a few hours each day in the physical world. Even if it’s something as simple as taking a power nap or reading a book, distancing yourself from the news that’s constantly circulating could help dial back your stress levels. 

Now is an especially good time to practice mindfulness and meditation. Start journaling to organize your thoughts and externalize any worries you’re feeling. Be patient with yourself and know that meditation takes practice. Set a timer and start with five minutes a day to sit quietly and focus on diaphragmatic breathing, then slowly increase the time as you become more comfortable.

Learn more about the benefits of bullet journaling. 

4. Get moving

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It’s already well documented that exercise can have tremendous benefits on both your physical and mental health.³ But being homebound could make it difficult to motivate yourself to get moving. This is where we can embrace the positive power of technology and the internet. Gyms, personal trainers, fitness influencers and popular fitness classes also offer streaming versions of their in-person workouts. Stretch, unwind and practice mindfulness with a yoga class, challenge yourself with a bootcamp-style workout, go for a hilly ride on your stationary bike, or punch away stress with an intense kickboxing class. 

Many studios offer free video classes, so go ahead and give all those workouts you’ve wanted to try a shot. Bonus: Video chat with your favorite workout partner while you train and keep each other accountable. If you want to practice more staycation self-care, set recovery days where you use a foam roller or lacrosse ball to massage out your sore muscles and relax.

Here are 9 other simple exercises anyone can do at home. 

5. Learn a new skill or work on a home project

You know that hobby you always said you would pick up — that tub of yarn and knitting needles you haven’t touched in over a year, or that crafting project you always wanted to do with your kids? Now is the perfect time to get acquainted (or reacquainted) with a hobby. Build a backyard fort with scrap materials or bake with your kids. Practice self-care with art therapy by learning to paint or simply filling out an adult coloring book. It’s not just a creative way to relax, art therapy has also been shown to relieve stress and improve quality of life.⁴

If no hobbies are calling out to you, you can take this opportunity to banish stubborn clutter — for good. Reorganize your junk drawer, deep clean your kitchen, feng shui your living room and put together a bag of items to donate. You’ll emerge from this staycation feeling accomplished and rejuvenated, and your home will feel even more like your sanctuary. Try these 10 tips to stay organized and productive.

6. Snuggle up with a good movie

A staycation is the perfect opportunity to get through that long list of movies you’ve been meaning to watch. Pick a film, snuggle up with the family and treat yourself to a movie night. If you’re on your own and want to host a virtual watch party with friends or family, your streaming service may have extra features, like synced playback and a live chat to keep everyone connected. So grab a healthy snack, like Jenny Craig’s Kettle Corn or White Cheddar Popcorn, dim the lights and get cozy with a good movie.

Now that you have all the things to do on a staycation, why not make it a little healthier? Stick to your weight loss goals and get Jenny Craig’s delicious chef-crafted food delivered to your doorstep today!

Sources:

[1] https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0747563217306908
[2] https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2017/11/lowest-point
[3] https://adaa.org/understanding-anxiety/related-illnesses/other-related-conditions/stress/physical-activity-reduces-st
[4] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16288447/

Elizabeth Yun

Elizabeth has been a writer and editor for over 15 years. Over the course of her career, she has written for a variety of publications in lifestyle, celebrity entertainment and tech, but her biggest passion is in the fitness, nutrition and wellness space. She spends the majority of her free time rock climbing, making ceramics, experimenting with new dishes and exploring the outdoors. Her writing has appeared in Men's Journal, Us Weekly, Muscle & Fitness and HuffPost. 

Favorite healthy snack: popcorn with nutritional yeast
 

Reviewed by Briana Rodriquez, RDN

Briana is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and Certified Personal Trainer for Jenny Craig, based in Carlsbad, California. She is passionate about utilizing food as functional and preventative medicine. Guided by a simplistic and optimistic approach, Briana’s philosophy is to help people improve their health and achieve their goals through the development of sustainable habits to live a healthy life. In her free time, you can find her strength training, indoor cycling, coffee tasting, and at local eateries with her husband and two dogs. 

Favorite healthy snack: peanut butter with celery alongside a grapefruit-flavored sparkling water (so refreshing!) 

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This article is based on scientific research and/or other scientific articles and was written by an experienced health and lifestyle contributor and reviewed by certified professionals. 

 

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