Can’t head out to your favourite destination?
Take a mental vacation
Stuck at home with no probability of traveling in the short-term? No flights to your favorite islands yet? Fear of quarantine formalities at the destination? Or just that it isn’t a good idea to take risk at this time when few countries are on the verge of pandemic season 2?
A mini getaway in your mind is perfect for these abnormal times. Close your eyes and head to the beach or hills. No queues. No check-ins. No hidden charges. No virus.
It can be little cumbersome at first as we’re not used to taking a break from our lives, while still immersed in them; especially when we are under constant pressure of ‘using this time’ by upskilling or rethinking our lives or even worse, learning to bake. It’s great if you like it but if you don’t, just take away some of those man-made ‘musts’. There’s a pandemic on. It’s enough just to get through it.
Here’s a 4-step guide to taking a mental vacation from the comfort of your home.
1. Choose a peaceful setting in a quiet nook away from phone, work and people; free of responsibility.
2. Begin with deep breathing for 5–10 minutes initially. It is normal for stress to lead to shallow breathing and the release of more stress hormones. Breathing deep from abdomen is important, which sends plenty of oxygen to the brain as a signal to relax and consequently triggers the release of endorphins.
3. Visualize your favorite spot. Immerse yourself in the scene fully. Recreate the sounds from your chosen moment, the smells and feelings, the way sunlight reflected off the water and entered the window, finally reaching your skin; the kinds of birds that flew past, how long their chirps lingered; how lush green was the meadow you were leisurely walking through. Draw on all five senses for best results.
4. Distance yourself from reality — phone pings, emails and doorbells.
And you’d be there only to return refreshed!
