Escape For The Day

Do you ever get the urge to take off?  

I mean, run away from home, take a mental health day, chillax on your own?

If you’re human, the answer is probably “yes.”

Just like musician Lenny Kravitz, sometimes you just “want to get away, want to fly away. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.”

No matter how much you love being around your loved ones, friends, colleagues, taking time away is always a good idea.

Here you will discover a few quick and easy ways to escape from the everyday, so you can take time to take stock, breathe and relax, recharge, rejuvenate and return refreshed. (That’s a lot of “re”).

Plan Your Escape 

Yes, there are so many things you can do and places you can go. But, let’s get real. You can’t do it all. So, here are some suggestions you can put into action right away (depending on your geography, of course.)

Gone Fishin’ 

If you like to sit in a boat or on the shore and watch the water ebb and flow, this is the activity for you. Heck, even if you don’t like to fish there’s something so soothing about looking over the water, the sun glinting, a comforting breeze brushing over you as you hold a rod out into the vastness.

If you get a bite, great. Your choice to keep (and eat) or release the fishy. The point isn’t so much about actually catching anything as it is about being in nature and zoning-out.

This works for ice-fishing too. Although you will be sitting on a chair in a field of frozen water, your line sunk into a hole in the ice, you will enjoy the tranquility and, yes, even the cold which can be stimulating.

Sunday in the Park 

It doesn’t have to be Sunday, and it’s probably better if it isn’t since Sundays are usually the busiest days at the park.

Whatever day you choose, pack yourself a little picnic and head out to your local - or a far flung - park. Find yourself a nice patch of grass (check for garbage, doggy-doo and bird-poo), lay out a blanket, set your picnic and relaaaaaax.

You can bring a book, your journal, your playlist or do absolutely nothing at all. This is your time after all. 

Sit back against a friendly tree (I always ask for permission from the tree first) and zone out. Listen to the ambient sounds, enjoy the fresh air, indulge in your favorite picnic foods and drinks.

Lay out on the grass, observe at the clouds and have fun watching the shapes they make.

If it gets too crowded, or if the dogs won’t leave you alone, relocate to a quieter area. Or, take a nice, long walk over hill and over dale ‘till the sun sets.

Most parks offer free concerts, film screenings or theater performances during the warmer months, so you might want to schedule your day to coincide with one of these.

Take some time to stargaze either from a bench or on the grass. If you don’t know the constellations, don’t worry. You can always make your own up!

Literary Longings 

Is there any better way to indulge your love of the written word than to get lost amongst the titles in a bookstore? I don’t mean one of those anonymous chain stores, no! 

I mean an independent bookshop where you get special attention, or a used book store where there are literally stacks and stacks of volumes to browse through.

It is so much fun to pick through the piles until a title jumps out at you, isn’t it? And, it is thrilling when you crack open the cover and read those first lines. Talk about being swept away by adventure!

Although not quite the same, visiting your local library (or the main branch) can be just as exciting. Ask the librarian to direct you to your topic of interest (e.g. wildlife) and spend the day getting lost amongst the richness of language.

Stayscape 

Surely there are times when you have the house or apartment all to yourself, right? If you live alone, there are times when you can pretend you’re not in.

Close the blinds, lock the doors, turn off the phone and keep away from the computer. This is your time to enjoy your residence when no one else is around.

Treat yourself to a nice, long shower or bath. Cook a special meal for yourself.

Stay in bed all day long. Or, if you have a backyard, enjoy being in nature.

Whatever you do, don’t use this time to catch-up on chores or errands.

Conclusion 

These are just a few ways you can enjoy the ultimate “me” time. Do without guilt, without recrimination and without worry. Everyone in your life, most especially you, will reap the benefits.

This is your day to escape - even if you don’t actually go anywhere.