30 SUMMER AFTERNOON STAYCATIONS FOR BUSY MOMS

Staycations have become a popular way for families to unplug, play and have fun together.  (Staycation is a pop culture term for a vacation time without travel or with local travel only.)  Why not take a mini staycation as a busy mom?  Whether you are a work-at-home mom or a work-outside-the-home mom, time to yourself is a rare and precious commodity—especially in the summer.  Taking time for yourself is a necessary practice not only for your own mental health but also for the ability to give your family, career and passions your best.  You can enjoy the following suggestions in a summer afternoon with minimal expense. You’ll find they can help busy moms regain perspective on their own lives while recharging their personal batteries physically, emotionally and spiritually. Choose one or more and enjoy your summer afternoon staycation, guilt free!

• Music transports us, so download new music.
• Buy flowers just for you, just because.
• Go to a day spa for a massage, manicure, pedicure and skin or hair treatment.
• Cook a new recipe you have never cooked before. Invite a friend.
• Indulge yourself and take a nap.
• Write your bucket list down. Write it down.  You are more likely to actually do it.
• Jot down a list of things you would do with a million dollars.
• Drive through a nice neighborhood you fantasize about living in.
• Enjoy some silence.  Our lives can be so noisy. Breathe deeply. Do some yoga. 
• Listen to the ocean or a babbling brook.
• Volunteer at your charity of choice for an afternoon of a fresh perspective.
• Read a book you have put off.
• Sit on a park bench, close your eyes and just listen.
• Create!  Write a poem or song, compose and take a photo or paint a canvas.
• Take a long hot bath with candles lit instead of electric lighting.
• Browse a travel magazine or book about a place you would like to visit one day.
• Buy a magazine you enjoy and sit down to read it with your favorite beverage.
• Write a gratitude list.
• Take a walk around one of your favorite spots in town.
• Call a friend from another town. Chat about everything and anything just because.
• Go to a grownup movie all by yourself. 
• Enjoy a rainstorm. Play in a puddle.
• Write a love letter.
• Buy new crayons and draw your kids a picture.
• Plant a tree, herb garden or flower garden.
• Go window shopping for yourself.
• Exercise in a new way.  Take a swim or try a Pilates class or DVD. 
• Visit a museum.  Take time to consider each exhibit.
• If you are an animal lover, visit the zoo.
• Babysit for another mom so she can have a staycation. 

        You will leave grateful for your own kid chaos.

Laura Reagan is an author, freelance writer and staycation mom. She can be reached for more self-care tips through her website, Heart2HeartParents.com.