5 Ways To Unplug and Enjoy Your Vacation!

Denise Austin
by Denise Austin | 
 | 
Lifestyle
Summer is here...which means vacation time for many people! If you (like sooooo many others - myself included) are used to daily screen time, why not make a promise to yourself and your family or traveling companions to unplug and focus on your surroundings next time you travel? Here are five suggestions that have worked for me when it comes to unplugging while on vacation.


  1. Replace a wake-up scroll with a walk. You are in a different place - get out and see it! Instead of the usual morning routine of logging on to see what happened while you were sleeping, make a commitment to wake up and get outside for a walk. Savor the new surroundings, the sounds, smells and sights. Do this alone or with others, either way it may become one of the best parts of your day, and a new healthy habit you take home with you!
  2. Make taking photos like when you were a kid. In other words - take out your phone (or camera!) and take a few photos...then put it away and enjoy what's going on in front of you. In the moment, capture those memories but don't worry if they are "social media perfect" - take them for YOU, not others! After your vacation is over, you can share a photo montage online with others, if you like.
  3. Choose an activity to do every day. It may take you outside your comfort zone, but that can be a good thing. Hiking, biking, swimming, touring around town, visiting museums, doing a food tour...this is one of the reasons you go on vacation, to explore a new place. So take advantage of it, focus on what is going on, and you may just not even think about plugging in!
  4. At the end of the day, replace a nightly scroll with a journaling session. Bring a notebook and pen with you on your trip, and spend time reflecting on the day by writing out your thoughts. I love to practice the "Three Good Things" mantra: write down three good things that happened that day. It's proven to lift your mood after you do it for a few weeks, so this is a practice I recommend for home, too.
  5. If you really need to be online, create a window of time and stick with it. Log on, do what you need to do, and log off. Everyone needs true time off to recharge and reconnect, so don't be shy about sticking to what is best for you. Most things can wait!

I hope these tips help you to embrace your next vacation, and enjoy all the wonders that a new place and time spent with loved ones can bring!

Let's live FIT, HAPPY and HEALTHY - Together!

Denise