Holidays don’t need to be filled with activities and sightseeing every hour. Relaxing at the beach or spending a day by the pool is just as important and will leave you feeling recharged and ready to return to daily life.
Instead of spending your downtime scrolling aimlessly through social media, check out our guide on the best ways to indulge in enjoyable activities to enhance your travels.
Why Downtime Matters When You Travel
Relaxing on holiday away from your daily pressures and routines will decrease your stress levels. Spending time in the sun lounger or reading a good book will lower your blood pressure and reduce cortisol levels, the stress hormone.
By giving your mind time to unwind, you’ll feel more alert and refreshed, while your body will recover from the physical exertion of walking and exploring the city. During your downtime, your mind may be open to creative ideas and solutions to give you new perspectives on your life. You’ll return to work with increased focus and efficiency.
Easy Ways to Relax Without Leaving Your Room
After a long day exploring local towns and eating out, you don’t need to go back out to enjoy yourself. Focus on creating a calm space by sitting on the balcony and sipping a cold drink while watching the sunset, or dim the lights and listen to your favourite playlist.
Turn off your phone and laptop notifications to disconnect from distractions and immerse yourself in the moment. If you’re with your partner, you can talk about your favourite parts of the day without worrying about what you’ll do tomorrow.
Entertainment on the Go: Books, Podcasts and Gaming
Holidays are the perfect time to enjoy a good book. Pick up a novel at the airport and slowly make your way through it while sunbathing on the beach, or set aside a couple of hours a day to breeze through it if you’re hooked.
Audiobooks and podcasts are ideal for relaxing. You don’t need to flick through pages or hold a Kindle; you only have to sit back and listen. If you want to go on a walk and listen to a lighthearted conversation in a comedy podcast or analyse a hard-hitting political conversation, just put in your earphones and go.
You don’t need to pack your console to enjoy video games on holiday. Plenty of titles are accessible from the App Store and Google Play, from tower defence to first-person shooters. Playing a round or two of online slots after a long walk or a day windsurfing can also be a great way to pass the time.
When to Embrace Doing Absolutely Nothing
It might seem strange, but you can plan to do nothing. Create spaces during your holiday when you know you won’t be sightseeing or trying new cuisines at cafes and restaurants. Don’t feel pressured into filling every minute with activities.
Allow for some spontaneity during your trip. If you plan your itinerary down to the last minute, you might miss out on unexpected conversations and opportunities and leave without feeling like you got the well-earned rest you needed.
