May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and taking care of your mind, body, and soul, as we all know, is extremely important. Due to the current situation, it’s more crucial than ever before to make sure that all three of these items are balanced. If you’re feeling overwhelmed from current events and are thinking that there’s no way that you can take time out for yourself, we get it.
However, it’s very important to recognize that if you don’t take out the time to focus on your health, you’re going to start to feel stressed, burnt out, and you won’t be able to be the best you that you can be. If you aren’t sure where to start, don’t worry! We did all the work for you so that you can sit back, relax, and start focusing on your wellbeing. That being said, here are 10 travel-inspired ways to take care of your mind, body, and soul while at home.
1. Make a New Recipe
If there’s one thing that we all can agree on, it’s that food is definitely good for the soul. Take this time while you’re at home to learn a new recipe. You’ll want to select a location that you’ve always wanted to visit and look into what their most popular (and tasty) dishes are. Choose the dish that intrigues you the most, gather all of the ingredients that you’ll need, and prepare to cook.
If you want a great way to virtually connect with loved ones while cooking, you can video chat with them and make the dish at the same time. Don’t be discouraged if you don’t nail the dish on the first try – practice makes perfect!
Read about the health benefits of cooking here.
2. Camp in Your Backyard
The weather is starting to get warmer which means more time for outdoor fun. A favorite activity for a lot of families during spring/summer is going on a camping trip. The best part about camping is that you can do it right in your own backyard!
Get your kids involved in the planning process and let them choose some camping activities they’d like to partake in such as telling scary stories, singing around the campfire, and roasting marshmallows. Get a tent set up or if the weather permits, sleep out under the stars with sleeping bags.
Read about the health benefits of camping here.
3. Play a Travel-Inspired Game
There’s a good chance that you’ve probably played Monopoly once or twice in your life (or have at least have heard of the popular board game), but maybe you haven’t heard of the special edition of the game called Monopoly Here & Now: World Edition. This version lets you travel the globe from the comfort of your own home and explore the world’s most popular cities such as New York, Athens, and Egypt. You’ll compete against your family to “buy” exciting landmarks, and you might even learn a thing or two.
Read about the health benefits of playing board games here.
4. Take a Virtual Yoga Class
Yoga has so many amazing health benefits like decreasing stress levels, reducing inflammation, promoting better sleep, and is ideal in helping heal your mind, body, and soul. Even if you can’t go to a yoga studio right now, you can bring yoga right into your home with virtual yoga classes. There are numerous options that you can choose from depending on whether it’s your first time attempting yoga or if you’re basically an expert.
One site we found that works for people of all experience levels is Glo. This site lets you not only choose a class that fits your skill set but also takes into account how much time you have to take a class.
Read about the health benefits of yoga here.
5. Call a Loved One and Discuss Your Favorite Vacation Memories
One of the best parts of vacationing is the memories you gain and share with others for the rest of your lives. If you’re trying to find ways to stay connected with your loved ones from afar this activity is perfect for you.
Set some time aside to video chat with a friend or family member that you’ve vacationed with in the past and discuss your favorite memories.You could even pull out some sentimental items like pictures or souvenirs, and talk about the stories you associate with each item.
Read about the health benefits of connecting with family and friends here.
6. Read a Travel-Based Book
Reading is a surefire way to distract yourself from the world around you and allows you to immerse yourself in adventure right from your couch. There are plenty of books based on travel that will surely help to curb your wanderlust, but here are some of our favorites:
- Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert
- The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
- Destinations of a Lifetime: 225 of the World’s Most Amazing Places by National Geographic
Read about the benefits of reading here.
7. Look at Old Travel Photos
One of the best things that has come from advancements in technology is the ability to capture a moment with a click of a button. Cameras and even our phones allow us to take pictures and videos that we can look back on for years.
Gather your travel photos to look through by yourself or with a loved one. Once you’ve gone through your pictures, find your favorites, and set them aside. Consider taking time out to create a photo album or simply place your photos in frames around the house. Being able to look back at these pictures from time to time will remind you of all the happy memories you have!
Read the benefits of looking at photos here.
8. Bring Your Favorite Destination Home
If you can’t go to your favorite vacation destination, bring your favorite vacation destination to you! First, choose one of your most-loved spots in the world – this is going to be your theme for the night. You can decorate the house to look like that destination (create fake palm trees for a beach theme, bring in an Italian flag for an Italy them, etc.), create a delicious dish based on that location, play some music that reminds you of that place, and maybe even watch a movie that’s based in that city/country. It’ll (almost) feel like you’re actually there!
Read the benefits of being creative here.
9. Have an At-Home Spa Day
There’s truly nothing more relaxing than a spa day. This is a perfect opportunity to attempt some at-home spa remedies you’ve been meaning to try. Treat yourself and purchase a face mask, a sweet-smelling bubble bath gel, nail polish, a plush robe, and a pair of comfortable slippers. If you don’t feel like going to all the trouble of picking out your own items, you can always order one of these awesome spa subscription boxes that’ll get everything ready for you.
Read the benefits of a spa day here.
10. Plan Your Dream Vacation
Just because travel is gone at the moment doesn’t mean that it’ll be gone forever. Once travel is back open for business, you, along with everyone else, will be itching to explore the world.
Write down a place you’ve always wanted to visit and do some research. Find out what hotel you want to stay at, where the best food is, and what activities you’ll partake in. After all, one of the best parts of traveling is the anticipation leading up to departure day.
Read the benefits of taking your time to plan a vacation here.
