Learn to Cultivate Your Vacation Mindset

Relax and Enjoy, Work

When you are on vacation, are you able to leave most of your worries at home? Why are you able to do this? Because you cultivated the vacation mind set. The vacation mindset is the ability to enjoy the moment you are in without worrying about all the little things that drag down a normal day.

Vacations are necessary to a healthy life. Even if it means sitting on your back porch for a few days to let all the junk drain out so your mind can be filled with fresh information. I have seemed to implement two kinds of vacations in my life. The “laid back” vacation and the “let’s see it all” vacation. The laid back vacations empty me of all the stress that has built up. The fast paced vacations, like my trip to Italy, keep me so busy that I don’t have time to worry and I can only enjoy the barrage upon my senses. Vacations like Italy seem to work me harder than if I was at work. The museums, figuring out mass transit, where to eat, snapping photos, buying the right presents for the folks back home, and don’t forget all the effort it takes to travel there and back (the packing of bags, getting to the airport on time and rushing to only wait for hours before the plane takes off), it can take a lot of energy. But it’s the type of energy that I don’t mind exerting because I know that it will be worth it after the whirlwind is over. The memories will live on for many years.

The fast paced vacations allow people to exert all their energy and yet still feel refreshed. You may physically feel tired, but the mind feels energized. If you are anything like me you probably have a ton of new ideas that you can’t wait to try out at work or on your hobby. I believe this happens because you created the vacation mindset.

There are three vacation mindsets that are my favorites and can help you reduce stress in almost any situation.

Museum Mindset

When you go to a museum it can be filled with so much eye candy that it feels overwhelming, but then you pick a room and just start exploring. You fall into the beauty and become lost in the moment.

You can do this when you are at work or at home. You must use your imagination even if it means stretching your mind to its most creative capacity. Pretend that you are in an interactive museum that you paid to get into. Pick up your pen as if it was an ancient artifact. Be astonished by how it writes. Then search around for the task that needs to get done and try to keep this museum mindset as you move from one project to the next, exploring the intricacies of the situation.

Traveling to Your Destination Mindset

Traveling to the destination is one of the most thrilling parts of any vacation. There is so much hope of happiness and excitement that the problems that do arise are easily brushed off. This mindset is one of eternal optimism.

Creating the “traveling to your destination” mindset requires that you look forward to the day as if it’s going to bring about new adventures that you never thought possible. I use it when I know that the day will be tough and I probably won’t get to any of the work that I enjoy doing. If you are having a day like this try something crazy. Make a little plane ticket, walk into your work’s bathroom, lock the door, give yourself a little pat down and scan your ticket with the towel dispenser. I know it sounds weird, but sometimes you need to apply new techniques to get results. And every time you feel your optimism fading reach into your pocket and pull out your travel ticket and let it remind you that you are on a journey to enjoy the day.

Café Mindset

Leaning back in my chair and sipping a cup of coffee as the tourists walks by is a mindset that brings me absolute joy. I usually forget to enjoy the fact that I am where I am because I’m good at my job. There would probably be over 100 people applying for my job if I left. It’s the “all the tables are full, but I have a spot that others want” mindset.

When the work gets hard and you have that feeling that you just want to go home, then cultivate the Café Mindset. Lean back in your chair and take 30 seconds to watch the things that are happening, the things you would normally miss, and send out a little appreciation for the position you have.

You can create all three of these vacation mindsets by applying these techniques while you are at work, at home, or in an irritating position. You have the ability to make it seem like you are on vacation wherever you are because when you cultivate the “vacation mindset” the normal problems just don’t bother you.

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Karl @ December 14, 2007