It’s January.
The holidays are long gone.
And Spring is an even longer way off.
All you want to do is curl up under the covers and hibernate until whichever child cries for you next. But wait!
The S.O.S. Getaway is here to save your Winter!
What is this magical S.O.S. Getaway, you ask?
Save our Sanity Getaway. This is a mini-getaway or adventure that will help you survive the winter doldrums.
You can make it any getaway you like, and it can accommodate any budget.
The S.O.S. Getaway can include a stay at a hotel, Air BNB/VRBO (or the like) in your state or even in your city. Perhaps you’d like to visit a friend you haven’t seen in awhile and stay at her home in another town. The Getaway doesn’t even have to include an overnight, but you may feel the maximum benefits if you can swing an overnight. If you don’t add an overnight, think of ways to make it an entire day away.
If you have kids help them look forward to their own “staycation” of sorts with grandparents or other family members or a babysitter. Make it fun for them, too, by talking about the fun things they’re going to get to do that are outside the usual routine.
Let’s talk about the activities (or lack thereof).
What fills up your soul? Spending a day reading a book, meeting up with a friend, having lunch and/or dinner out, a yoga class, a spa day, taking a nap, visiting a local attraction or winery? What things would you include?
Plan your time so that you don’t spend precious moments deciding where to go to dinner or what to do for the afternoon. Have a gameplan (at least loosely) in place so that you can truly enjoy each moment of this break in routine.
The Getaway can be on your own or with a friend or spouse. It’s really a create-your-own-adventure experience.
There is only one rule of the S.O.S. Getaway.
You must plan this in January or February.
January and February are typically the hardest months of weather during the year, the holidays are over (womp, womp, womp), and by March there’s a glimmer of hope that Spring is just around the corner.
Ideally, start thinking about this getaway in November or December and get. it. booked.
Set a date, find child care, and book your reservations. You may be thinking this is one extra thing to add to your already long and super stressful holiday to-do list. But, this is actually something fun to do! You could consider setting the same date or weekend every year or perhaps varying it based on prices, schedules, etc.
(A pro tip, if you can swing it – schedule your Getaway during the week. Days where you would typically be working or at home with your kids. This will give you maximum benefit of time away from your daily routine, without sacrificing precious weekend time.)
98% of the reason the S.O.S. Getaway is so effective is that you get to look forward to it. (Hence, for maximum benefit get this scheduled before or during the holidays so that as soon as the ball drops on midnight and all the treats have been eaten, you have an immediate pick-me-up to look forward to). You still have time to squeeze this in during the end of January or the month of February!
When you’re having a hard day, you can revel in the fact that there are “only two more weeks until the S.O.S. Getaway!”. The S.O.S. Getaway becomes the reason you can tolerate one more day of your crazy cooped up kids, or one more day of your boss asking for “one more thing before you go.”
So how can you make an S.O.S. Getaway happen?
Make it a priority. The number one reason we don’t treat ourselves to these types of getaways is guilt. We think we’ll do it next year or we feel guilty you’re taking time off work or away from the kids. Filling up our soul is necessary so that we can take care of everyone else around us. Make it a priority.
Budget for the Getaway. You can make this happen without spending a dime, but if you choose lodging or activities that you’ll need to spend money on plan for this in advance. Look for online deals and seasonal post-holiday specials.
Schedule your S.O.S. Getaway. Set. The. Date. You’ve made it a priority and have planned your budget, now, if necessary, coordinate childcare, book your lodging and activities and make it happen. Don’t put it off until summer or “do it when the timing is better.” We must take care of ourselves and scheduling an S.O.S. Getaway will have lasting effects – the anticipation before, enjoyment during, and memories after – all will help you to feel more like a person.
My Save Our Sanity Getaway happened to be last week, and it was wonderful. Hot coffee. A plate full of my own food that I didn’t have to share (and was also remarkably, still hot), and time to relax, read, and rest. I couldn’t have asked for a better soul-filler upper experience.
What does your ideal S.O.S. Getaway look like? Start envisioning, planning, and make it happen.
