The Best Ways to Spend a Buffer Day Vacation
Vacations, as enjoyable as they are, can also be exhausting. There’s jet lag, the fatigue that comes after a busy vacation schedule, and on top of that, if you’re traveling with kids, there’s bound to be at least a couple of strokes. The same applies to traveling with a large family, as there is nothing more tiring and predictable than family drama.
As Rachel Orr recently wrote for The Washington Post , one way to reduce travel stress is to take an extra day off to give yourself some time to rest and recharge. As Orr says , “I use my buffer day to plan for the next week and just enjoy my space again. Think of it as a little rest at the end of your vacation.”
I discovered the benefits of a vacation buffer day a few years ago and have been trying to incorporate it into my own travel plans ever since. In my own experience, while a buffer day can be an incredibly helpful tool for rest and recovery, it’s important to use the day consciously. Otherwise, it’s all too easy to spend the day mindlessly scrolling through social media and getting bogged down in business, only to find that you’re not at all refreshed in the evening.
Make a plan
A buffer day of vacation will help you relax and gain strength. This is a reason to take an extra (very precious) day of vacation rather than returning to normal life immediately. What an ideal buffer day looks like is different for everyone, but whatever it is, it’s best to think a little about what’s best for you.
If you relax by sitting and reading a real book, make time for it. If you sleep at home, then going to brunch is your idea to relax, make a plan to turn off your alarm, and meet a friend at your favorite brunch spot.
If you want to spend some of that time doing chores or errands so you can feel like you’re on top when you get back to the work week, make a list of your top priorities (and which ones can wait). If you want to spend the day in pajamas, watching Netflix, and eating chocolate ice cream straight out of the box, stock up on a freezer before heading out of town. Whatever helps you recharge, do it intentionally.
Whatever you do, don’t work
We’ve all been there: you have a little extra time so you check your work email for just a minute , and before you know it, the day goes by in a blur when you’re busy with work when it’s not even a work day.
I am just as guilty of working after hours, including on vacation, as anyone else. In the world we live in, this is almost impossible to avoid. However, when it comes to your hard-earned vacation days, especially the most recent one, it’s important to create that barrier. Work can wait.