Ready for a life you don't need to escape? Learn 8 practical ways to live with a 'vacation mindset' daily for deeper presence, less stress, and more joy in your self-development journey.

Life feels so different when on holiday. Time slows down. Your senses come alive. A simple coffee tastes richer, a walk feels like an adventure, and even the air seems to carry a sense of possibility. Everything feels lighter. Your mind begins to clear. Your shoulders relax. Your jaw unclenches. There must be a way to recreate these feelings, even when not on vacation.

It might sound a bit like wishful thinking, I know. But hear me out. For the most part, the magic of a holiday isn’t solely in the location. It’s in the way we grant ourselves permission to be present, revel in the moment, and simply be. It’s in the mindset. The same rain that ruins your plans at home becomes "part of the adventure" somewhere else. The same alarm that you snooze at home becomes a happy start to the day on holiday. There is something to look forward to, a better lens to see through.

Being able to cultivate a ‘vacation mindset’ will help you rewire your default settings to experience more joy in the ordinary. This deliberate choice will become an easy habit to approach daily life with the same curiosity, presence and permission you naturally grant yourself when travelling. You deserve to have a life you don’t feel like you need to escape from.

man with goggles and fins on a donut floatie in the ocean

Why You Need a Vacation Mindset

At the outset, a vacation mindset doesn’t mean not taking anything seriously. You can be ambitious, show up for yourself and family, and further yourself without the burnout, scarcity perspective, and perfectionism.

Think about how you feel when on holiday, and what this means for your brain. Your stress hormones decrease as your happy hormones increase (less cortisol, more dopamine). Your time perception expands, the days feel longer (at least at first). And novelty pathways activate, making ordinary moments feel extraordinary. Studies on the effects of holiday on well-bring found “having a holiday significantly improved sleep quality, positive mood, and life satisfaction, and significantly reduced negative mood and physical complaints.”

When on vacation, you tend to:

Be more present: You're not constantly checking emails or worrying about tomorrow's to-do list. You're soaking in the moment, whether it's the taste of a local delicacy, the sound of the waves, or the vibrant colours and smells of a market.

Be more relaxed: The pressure valve is released. You're not rushing, just… being. A missed bus becomes part of the story, not a frustration. A delayed train is more time to people-watch.

Be more open to new experiences: You're willing to try that unusual dish, explore that quiet alleyway, or strike up a conversation with a stranger.
Prioritise joy and pleasure: Your days are often structured around things that bring you happiness (a leisurely breakfast, a refreshing swim, a fascinating museum visit) instead of doing things because they’re productive.
Honour natural rhythms: You rest when tired, explore when curious, eat when hungry (and with less guilt).
Welcome downtime: Naps, reading, simply staring into space – these are not only permitted but encouraged!
Be less self-critical: You're simply happy to exist.

Sounds pretty appealing to feel this more often, doesn't it? So, how do we sprinkle a bit of this magic into our everyday lives?

woman sleeping in swimming costume with sun hat covering face

How to Live with a 'Vacation Mindset' (Even When You Aren’t on One)

Let’s bring the vacation mindset home, to everyday life, with these 8 practical ways:

Embrace the Art of Slower Mornings (and Evenings):

On holiday, we rarely leap out of bed to a frantic rush. We savour that first cup of tea or coffee, linger over meals, and take detours just to see where they lead.

Instead of being in go-go-go mode all the time in daily life, try to incorporate just five minutes of this unhurried calm into your own mornings and evenings. No phone first thing, just a few quiet moments to breathe and stretch. Enjoy a shower meditation. Similarly, wind down in the evenings with something relaxing (a good book, some calming music, a warm bath) rather than immediately diving into chores, switching off every evening in front of the TV or endless scrolling.

Eventually, extend this into your day and truly embrace the art of slow living:

Walk slower. Notice the way the air feels, the sounds around you.
Eat without distractions (no phone, no laptop, no TV).
Include slower yoga flows and Tai Chi into your exercise regime.
Let yourself be bored.
Replace urgency with curiosity.

2. Become a Tourist in Your Own City:

It is all too easy and common to overlook what your city has to offer. Just as you’d research things to do and attractions to see in a new city, take some time to research what people do and see in your own town (or one nearby).

Do something touristy: visit a quirky independent shop, try a local café, notice the architecture, and explore museums. Take a different route home, try a new place, visit a park you haven’t been to in years. Try seeing your surroundings with fresh and curious eyes.

3. Prioritise Sensory Pleasures:

Holidays are a feast for the senses. You're trying new foods, breathing in different scents, hearing new sounds. One of the ways to cultivate your everyday ‘vacation mindset’ is to bring this intentionality into your everyday. Light a beautiful candle, listen to music that uplifts you, cook a delicious meal and truly taste and chew each bite, or simply notice the scent of rain on the pavement. These small moments can be incredibly grounding and joyful.

4. Schedule 'Downtime' (and Protect It Fiercely):

On holiday, relaxation is often part of the plan, or overall goal. And this is probably because downtime is what often gets sacrificed in daily life. Having a ‘vacation mindset’ means allowing yourself to rest, so schedule non-negotiable slots in your week for pure, unstructured relaxation.

Recharging is the goal, and being productive after is a beneficial by-product. Try different types of rest and recharge as you listen to what your mind, body, and soul need. It could be reading for an hour (on your comfy couch or a park bench), drawing and colouring with your morning cuppa, taking a long walk in nature, taking a nap, or simply doing nothing.

Protecting this downtime is an absolute must, and the more you do this, the more you can protect yourself from burnout. You do not need to earn relaxation. Note how often you reach for your phone out of habit, and before picking it up allow yourself to be bored for a few minutes. What could you do instead?

two woman laughing at something on phone while having coffee

5. Practise Mindful Presence:

This is perhaps the cornerstone of the vacation mindset. When you're eating, just eat. When you're walking, just walk. Look out your window and watch the clouds. Sip your coffee and watch people go about your day. Notice the sights, sounds, and smells around you. It’s about gently bringing your attention back to the present moment whenever your mind starts to wander to worries or distractions.

For many, a vacation is a chance to unplug. You’re in the moments, not just documenting them or scrolling through other peoples. As you are more mindful in what you do, distancing yourself from your phone and particularly social media becomes easier.

6. Say 'Yes' to Spontaneity (Within Reason):

One of the joys of holidays is the freedom to change plans, follow a whim, or stumble upon something unexpected. While real life often requires more structure, look for opportunities to embrace a little spontaneity. Say yes to that impromptu coffee with a friend, try a new dessert, buy yourself flowers, take a different route home, or try a new recipe you've been curious about.

7. Embrace ‘Good Enough’

‘Imperfections’ like wrinkled shirts and wrong turns are part of vacation life. Yet, in everyday life, you may hold yourself (and others) to impossible standards. Travel teaches you to flow with the mishaps (lost luggage, unexpected rain) but the unplanned is often resisted in daily life. To cultivate a vacation mindset, you need to flow with life more and accept ‘good enough’:

Laugh when things go wrong.
Repeat mantras like it doesn’t have to be perfect to be beautiful.
Trust that being more easy-going isn’t unseriousness or laziness, its wisdom and healthy.
Ask yourself: Will this matter in a week? A year?

8. Practise Gratitude for the Ordinary

When on holiday, any and everything can feel a bit more special. It’s somehow easier to notice the beauty around you and to appreciate the simple things. Cultivating an attitude of gratitude can help you notice the specialness of your ordinary. Start gratitude journaling, simply take a few minutes each day to mentally list a few things you're grateful for (no matter how small) and give thanks for the food you're about to eat.

You will begin to appreciate the sunrises and sunsets from wherever you are, deeply inhale the smell of fresh bread in a local bakery, wonder at the intricate pattern of a leaf that falls onto your lap, be willing to try a restaurant of a different culture, take a moment to feel the sun on your face, and remember kind words from a stranger.

Life is Too Short to Live for Vacations

Perhaps a sad truth is that many of us don’t need a different life, just a different relationship with the one we have. We shouldn’t need a passport to experience awe, find hope and inspiration, and finally relax. Life is too short and too precious to want to escape it and live for vacations. There must be ways to travel through each moment with the same excitement, contentment, and peace as felt on holiday.

Naturally, there will be days when life will feel like anything but a vacation. But silver linings may be easier to see, your habits will include self-care, and your practiced ability to rest means burnout is further away and joy is just a moment away.

Peace doesn’t only have to be found later (when you’re on holiday, once life calms down, after you’ve ‘earned it’). It can be found when cultivating healthy mindsets, like the vacation mindset.

Affirmation: I choose to move through today with the curiosity and ease of a traveller in my own life. My peace is my journey.

Journal prompts: When I imagine applying the Vacation Mindset to my daily life…

What feels most challenging? Why?
What small pleasure have I been overlooking?
How might my week change if I prioritized presence over productivity?

To-do:

Pick an ordinary moment (your commute, making tea, etc.)
Ask: "How would I experience this if I were on holiday?"
Engage your senses fully (notice colours, textures, sounds)
Release any judgment, just observe

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How To Live with a Vacation Mindset (Wherever You Are)