V: Vacate without vacation

 I can actually picture you asking “Does that even make sense?” How is one supposed to vacate without actually going on a vacation? Isn’t the primary purpose of vacation to vacate our minds, schedule, responsibilities and explore around to do something fun? Going on a vacation is actually a birthright where you can stay off from work and usual routine to rejuvenate, relax and come back inspired. Irrespective of age, gender, occupation, income and lifestyle, everyone deserves a vacation once in a while. 

    Whether you stretch it over number of days to soak every possible luxury or crunch in between your busy schedule, whether you align it with your kids’ vacation (which is what happens usually) or take off solo to an exotic destination, each one of us should (bold for emphasis) invest in some form of vacation. Now though we all know the significance of vacation, there are somethings called as ‘budget’ and ‘time’ that may not permit it so often. While juggling between holidays, work, finances and mounting priorities, this exciting experience often takes a backseat. Though we strive to take that big annual vacation, it may not materialize, depending on the task at hand.

  Talking about significance of vacation is not the primary aim of this post. Before I wander into the beauty of vacations and find myself in some exotic place (read: Hawaii or Florida or Spain or Maldives or France- my fingers are doing all of this typing, involuntarily!), let me get back to the title in question. Since I know my blogger mind well, I am sure it will take me to some destination right while sitting at this desk (much to the delight and happiness of my husband), but that is not the intention of this post. 

  When it was time to craft about the next letter in series ‘V’, I was unknowingly attracted towards the word ‘vacation’. I am not sure whom should I hold responsible? Whether it is my freelance writer profile that types off travel articles now and then or my blogger mind who can just wander away into the world of thoughts, there is something quite appealing about ‘vacation’. The thought of vacation pulls me into a magical world of experiences, reflecting over my choice of words. And hence before I know it, I am using it as the next word in my series.

   But (there are always buts and ifs), taking a vacation is not something that happens easily. In fact planning, executing, packing and traveling form a long series of events that often scare people off. And returning after a relaxing vacation is another bitter experience. Looking at those photographs, while trying to focus back on work is nothing less than a herculean task. This is when you realize the appropriateness of the statement “I will need another vacation to get over the fun of this vacation”. Do not make an attempt to read between the lines and convince your family not to go for one. In no way, am I endorsing the harm of vacation. But, when the feasibility and possibility of taking multiple vacations is impossible to say the least, the mind does something termed as ‘hack’.

 It does not replace long relaxing holidays completely, yet offers some moments of vacation within a day. In today’s world where we can find some twisted solution for everything, I was inspired why not do the same for vacation? This is how the idea ‘vacate without vacation’ comes into picture.

  It is not a foolproof idea or a practical innovation. Do not blame me if it does not work for you. But, do thank me if it saves your money! We often focus over the physical benefits of vacation. Because we travel someplace else, it energizes our body and mind. So, if we could extract a part of this essence into our everyday life, can we enjoy vacated moments in a day? If the aim of a vacation is to vacate our minds, taking off the usual pressures and doing something off the charts, can we do it along the daily routine too? And beyond moving from point A to point B at far off places, can vacation mean vacating right here and now? I agree it does not replace traveling, but is it still worth a try? This approach will definitely work for the mind portion, but not the body. When we stir away from expected chores for a short while and seek relaxation within a day, it is entirely possible to do so. I am sure most of us will tend to blame ‘busy’ routine and ‘tight’ schedule before going ahead. 24 hours in a day are insufficient for our normal chores, let alone introduce some off-the-way vacated moments? But, we can always strive to see if it works. It has worked for me, hence I will persuade you to see if this experiment succeeds.

   Going forward, ideas do not work unless backed with practical actions. Unless I share my tools of vacating without vacations, I cannot expect feedback from your end. These are just usual actions that we all perform along a day. What matters is the perspective. After reading, you may realize it is nothing different- in fact well within your schedule. You are already doing it, but not through the same lens. If you look at it as ‘vacating’, it may mean something inspirational. Often when we look at things the other way, it does turn beneficial.

   Treat them as examples and inputs from my end. I will wait for your ideas, and actions to add to the pool. Together we can look at life a little differently.

1.       Looking at nature- I cannot think of any form of relaxation so pure, rich, effective and natural than looking at nature. As I admire the sight of mountains, sunset, clouds, trees or just the plain blue sky, it transports me someplace else. So much is the power of their presence, they manage to vacate my mind and fill it with inspiration. It forces me to go ‘carpe diem’, everything we want is here and now. Devoting few moments in the day, just to admire natural beauty turns it into a vacation of a sort, too good to put into words.

2.       Reading a book – Though this activity is more of a job requirement for my profile, it never feels so. Reading a book turns into a meditative action, as I enjoy the flow of words. No other action can demand your senses to be right there and concentrate to the fullest. It takes away all the usual thoughts from the mind, while all you are expected to do is focus on the line in sight.

3.       Watching few minutes of comedy- This manner of vacating mind is encouraged only for a short while. Otherwise you will blame me for excessive television time. I never understood the joy of watching serious thrillers over screen. When in life we are already surrounded by enough dark clouds, why don’t we relax in something as funny as good, healthy humor? I am not in any position to criticize suspense, thriller or reality-based genres. It takes lot of efforts to create one. But in order to align with my sense of vacating mind, few minutes of comedy is the best solution to do so. English series F.R.I.E.N.D.S and Hindi program ‘Taarak Mehta ka Ooltah Chasmah’ are my go-to solutions to just forget and laugh off.

4.       Savoring that first sip of coffee- Save the criticism, medical articles and theories about harm/benefit of coffee for later use, because one cup per day does more good than harm. I am sorry but my love for coffee automatically puts me into a defensive mode. It may be coffee, tea or chocolate milk for you, but the underlying factor is calmness, peace, energy and confidence that follows. I truly get all of this from just one cup because that silence for a short while is enough vacation for an entire day.

  If we seek such moments of vacation in our daily schedule, it will surely offer some benefits. I agree it cannot replace the joy of visiting places or ticking off items from your travel list. As a strong advocate of traveling, I myself will jump at the first opportunity to get going. But, finding happiness to make each day special is what defines our outlook towards life. If we are able to fill such ‘blissful’ moments in the canvas of our day, the entire picture will look much more appealing, while we count days for the next trip.

 Ready to vacate without vacation? Do share your feedback, criticism, agreement or disagreement. It is always fun to continue the discussion ‘off-the-record’!