Franglo

In theory, a week at home with no work is an appealing option. It is much more affordable than travelling abroad—no anxiety about reaching your destination, dealing with airports or the clueless people within them.
I had grandiose plans of spending 24 hours with my other half at a swanky little hotel, a day at the spa and the rest of the time would be spent reading boxes and relaxing.

The reality of a staycation is that you don’t physically change your location, so changing your mindset is challenging. I found myself cleaning the house because I could not take it anymore, and my husband was still working most of the week, so I was working around his schedule. When you live alone, you can eat whenever and whatever you want, but in a relationship, you are bound to the constraints of being a couple.

Emptying the dishwasher multiple times daily and preparing meals did not get me out of my everyday mindset. I was still thinking about work throughout the weekend, and then the work anxiety returned the following weekend as I prepared for the impending week.

Work has been stressful; we have lost so many people over the past few months by choice or downsizing. The workload is not diminishing, so we need to do more with less. I was at a point where I was emotionally, physically and mentally broken, and I decided to take a week off before I had a mental breakdown.

When I got to this point in the past in my single, I would pack my bags for a solo week on the beach and spend my days reading and relaxing. I met my husband the last time I did this.

I am at a breaking point, so I was pondering a week away at a cheap all-inclusive but was talked out of it, that I am no longer a cheap and cheerful girl.

My consolation prize was a 24-hour getaway when he could get off. It was lovely, Auberge, with a fantastic dinner experience, but I was not transported out of reality long enough. We had the drive there and back, and we had time to kill, so let’s check a few things off the to-do list, like shopping for birthday presents. Life happens, and the bubble bursts as he must deal with family.

I had a spa day with my work bestie, which was relaxing. I finally finished my book on Sunday before heading back to work today.

I have learnt that a staycation is different from a vacation I need. I need to put myself first sometimes, so next time, I will book a cheap trip to Cuba; at least, it would be a vacation where I would not gain weight 😊.