Cambridge Dictionary defines a "Busman's holiday" as "a holiday where you do something similar to your usual work instead of having a rest from it".
Having enjoyed some splendid weather over the weekend but without a formal vacation plan in sight for this year, we decided on an impromptu basis to book a stay at a pretty sea viewed lodge for this midweek at a local caravan park no more than 3 miles from our house!
Despite the fact we are both remote working this week, we decided to do this for a number of reasons, namely:-
● to capitalise on a more predictable short term weather forecast
● because out of holiday season the prices are much lower
● so that we can relax in a different environment both during and after work in the expectation of this improving our creative performance by making the most of the holiday park's own remote WiFi facilities - see our post entitled "Embrace Technology to Stressbust™"
● to make the most of on site spa, pool and other facilities we would not otherwise necessarily be able to make time to access midweek
● as it helps support a local business and so the local enonomy
● because the closeness to home means virtual zero travel time and cost against normal midweek activities and that we can comfortably get children to school and nursery without disruption - see our post entitled "Keep an eye out for nearby Stressbusting™ Activities"
● as we prescribe to the view that as self employed remote workers and parents to a baby, any holiday is to some extent a "Busman's Holiday" - see our post entitled "Break Time Quickie - 5 Stressbusting™ Pros & Cons of Remote Working"!
● so subsequently to help reduce our stress management Index - see our post entitled "Have an SMI™ (Stress Management Index™) to accompany your BMI" for a fuller explanation of what this means.
It took us no more than an hour and a half from a standing start at home to be fully kitted out in our lodge, decked in towels ready to go down for a swim in the club house.
And because we plan to be back at the house daily so as not to disrupt the kids important routines, we have no concerns about having forgotten anything, and can pack bits (and indeed unpack them) gradually through the course of the week, making our 'return' home oh so simple.
Thus while we might not have had the excitement of planning weeks ahead, we are here with minimum fuss and effort - a well worthwhile trade off in our book!
This could well be our very first "Busman's Holiday" but if first impressions are anything to go by and as we write whilst this beautiful sunrise emerges over our veranda, it certainly won't be our last. It has the potential to be amazing at best, and at worst will give us some Stressbusting™ breathing space from the day to day.
For further thoughts and ideas relevant to the above, please see our posts entitled ""Get Away from it All" to Stressbust™ For a Bit", and "Create a Stressbusting™ Lifestyle you don’t “Need a Vacation” away from".
We'd be interested to hear readers own experience of any spontaneous getaways such as ours.
Big Love
LouLoU™&MikeyM™
🙃😊💖💛💙