Self-Care Basics: The Power of a Daycation

A few weeks ago, I read that Warren Buffett, one of America’s most influential investors, likened this country’s escalating fiscal woes to “an economic Pearl Harbor”. In my practice, I find that my clients are handling the financial crisis and self-care in ways that they never thought they would. Some talked about screaming at their spouses and children, while others talked about drinking to take the edge off at the end of the day. But the majority talked about the depression they are trying to fight.

Feeling stuck and overwhelmed, their resources seem limited given all that is going on in the world. And no one ever wants to feel like they are stuck where they don’t want to be. Doing something for themselves can sometimes seem out of the question.

Self-Care 101

A different Buffett, Jimmy, the musician and savvy businessman once mused, “if life gives you limes, make margaritas”.  Inspired by the words of the Mayor of Margaritaville, today I did just that! A close friend of mine and I closed up shop and headed down for a daycation to the Florida Keys to enjoy the therapeutic healing of the water, sun, sand and good conversations with friendly locals.

In South Florida, just like any other big city, we get stuck in our day-to-day life, the fast pace of transitioning between work and personal time and the blending of the boundaries between the two. But for a few hours, my phone went unanswered, my emails went unchecked and my stress melted as my friend and I took the time for some much needed self-care, rest and relaxation.

There is much to be said about the types of therapies for the myriad of physical or emotional challenges out there.  Perhaps one of the most misunderstood and under utilized resources is the practice of having a mental health day.

According to a poll of over 1,000 employees, ComPsych, a provider of employee assistance programs, reported that eighty-two percent of employees have taken a mental health day to help cope with overwhelming stress in their present life.

Unfortunately, many people miss the point of how to utilize one of the best resources available to them. A simple but profound mental health day or daycation, can be the most rejuvenating and insightful personal experience in today’s economy.

A mental health day doesn’t have to cost anything, doesn’t have to be preplanned, and certainly doesn’t have to be hours away from where you are. These daycations, may just be what you need to get out from under the pile of stress, reevaluate your priorities in life or even just spend those extra few hours of time with your friends and family that you always feel guilty not doing. It’s that change of environment that can allow new and helpful perspectives to flood in.

Right now, the most important thing you can do for yourself and your family is to incorporate little opportunities for self-care. Many of us may have even neglected this part of our lives before the world was thrown into its most recent perils.

The question you need to ask yourself is “how can I take advantage of even the smallest opportunity to make this situation better for everyone around me and especially myself?” Be it a new hobby, enjoying free live music, tapping deeper into your spiritual practice, or even a daycation. The “changes in latitudes, changes in attitudes” philosophy of Mr. Buffett is certainly a healing self-care prescription we all can benefit from right now.

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