How to Make the Most of Your PTO

If you’re anything like me, you want to make the most of whatever free time you have. As the summer has continued on, I hope you have gotten a chance to do something fun—whether it’s going to the beach, having relaxed mornings in your town or city, even venturing away from home to discover new territory.

I recently got to take a day of PTO, some time away from my 9 to 5, and since it wasn’t the best day, you can learn from my mistakes and make the most of your time away from work.

Use your PTO around weekends and holidays

Rest comes easily when you know you have time to really linger and breathe deeply. Using your PTO around built in days off extends your time while saving some future PTO for emergencies. That said, I am also a fan of taking a day off just because. You don’t need a vacation to justify your use of PTO. You deserve rest even if it’s a day at home taking naps and puttering around. 

Make a plan (but also be open)

I fear that my mistake was that my plan was too rigid. I wanted to head to a bakery a bit far away and then head uptown for a Eucharist service. Unfortunately, house issues meant that we needed to take care of the home and be available, meaning I didn’t start my planned PTO day until 1pm in the afternoon.

I wouldn’t avoid having a scheduled activity but if your plan hinges on you being at multiple places at specific times, you are more likely to experience your day going haywire if something goes wrong. (Yes, the house is okay–it’s just been a wild few days)

Try a staycation

Last year, I took a week unpaid off – which was such a good thing! I got to really unfurl from work and not think about deadlines or any projects and really enjoy my time in New York City. A staycation can be the right move when you want to save money and if you’re not up for the stress of traveling (dealing with the airport or other transportation delays). Because each day had its own activity, I didn’t overfill my days off and got to linger, which is a big prerequisite in me actually experiencing rest.

Related Post: memories I want to keep from this week 🥀

What do you want to accomplish?

This may sound backwards, but thinking about your goal will help you consider how you will expend your energy. Do you want more physical rest? Maybe this time off looks like naps and lounging around. Do you want to see your city or do a day trip? Research some attractions and plan one thing you’d want to see. 

Having a goal also helps with how much planning you will have to do on the front end. If you just want to book a cabin and read some books while on the porch outside (a dreamy vacation!), then maybe you want to book a long weekend away. Find a cabin for Friday to Sunday. Plan to drive Thursday night or take a train to your location. Go to the library or bookstore for your TBR. Then spend your time reading, maybe slow cooking some delicious meals and having a quiet weekend away. 

Traveling vs. Vacationing

For me, there’s a big difference between traveling vs. vacationing. Traveling is trying to see as many attractions as I can and really experiencing a new place to the fullest. Vacationing is lingering, ideally in a new space, so my body can really catch up with itself and come away refreshed. I love lingering and getting to a place where I can experience timelessness 😊

Some people even find that after a vacation, they come back sick. Sometimes your body has been running on cortisol and caffeine and at that first chance to slow down, it finally can breathe, knowing you will be in one place for a while.

You might even find cleaning your house and then settling down for a puzzle or a fun movie gives you that vacation feel, as long as your devices aren’t pinging you every second. And if you can’t get away, maybe moving a solid chair outside and sitting in the sun with a cup of iced tea gets you to feeling more summery than a long week at Disney would.

Related Post: vacation in the poconos

Things may go wrong

This is true for every area of life. Things can and will go wrong. Adjust accordingly. In my case, my PTO day started later, and knowing what I know now, I would’ve chosen one bookstore to wander through and one coffee shop to sit and settle for a while, and I could have come home more rested.

Hope you experience some relaxation and rest this summer, friends!

Signing off,

Gigi