I’ve always found the volunteer vacation idea to be really appealing. You know, like building mud huts in the Kalahari or helping people in the third world get glaucoma treatment. Unfortunately, these kinds of trips are often expensive, even if the offer super-high value to you and the recipients of the help.
So, what about marrying the idea of the “staycation” with volunteerism? The truth is, many of us need a break, and we also need to save a little cash. I think the “staycation” has become a staple in American culture, but often linked to entertainment, spending, and sedentary activity. Some people are even so dis-engaged from the opportunities of their staycation, that they check their work emails for fun.
Don’t let this happen to you!!!
Make your staycation about something greater than yourself and commit big chunks of your time to helping others. Here are just a few ideas that could make your staycation fun and worthwhile (and make you feel like you EARNED that huge reward dinner at the end of your day). Please feel free to add on by leaving a comment of your ideas too.
- daily, extensive dog-walking, cage cleaning and generalized help at the local pound
- choose a stretch of roadside to clean up, and gently plant a few flowers
- visit nursing homes in your area, bringing flowers, magazines or baked goods to residents
- support a local homeless shelter by doing some extensive cleaning for a day or two, or large-scale cooking for a food line
- offer your help to spend the day driving/accompanying senior citizens or others in need to appointments and activities (call local senior centers and ask how you can help)
Tags: staycation, volunteer
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I really like the idea of the volunteer staycation. I think a couple of keys to its success might be planning the volunteer activities well ahead of time, just like one would likely plan for a traveling vacation. It would be tempting to put it all off since there isn’t the money of plane tickets and accomodations on the line, and you might figure you can wing it once the week comes. But if you spend your week feeling only half-engaged in fulfilling activities, the week might feel like a frustrating disappointment. There’s a lot on the line here! We’re talking about our sanity!
Also, aside from the volunteer activities, one would need to make sure that they truly relax while at home for the week (or so). I listened to an NPR show recently about vacations and a panelist was very wary of the restful quality of staycations in general -it’s very difficult to escape and relax sufficiently when staying at home. So, I think a decent question is: How does one escape and relax sufficiently on a staycation, to feel as refreshed and recharged as one would upon returning from a get-away vacation?