With summer now in full swing many of us are looking forward to taking some well-deserved vacation time. So, we thought it was a perfect time to revisit the topic of “pre-and post-vacation workouts” in the hopes of inspiring the adoption of some healthier “workouts” that truly leave you feeling good as you both enter and return from your well-deserved vacation time.
One of the most gruelling workouts I’ve ever done is the “pre-vacation workout” which typically lasts the entire week prior to my vacation. It goes something like this:
Coming in at a close second is the gruelling “post-vacation workout” that awaits me when I return. It’s closely related to the “pre-vacation workout” as that one typically leaves me with little or no breathing room in my post-vacation schedule to respond to phone messages, emails, etc. that arrived during my absence. Sadly, unlike other workouts (Zumba, walking, lifting weights, mowing the lawn) these “pre-and post-vacation workouts” have no benefits to my physical or emotional wellness and they actually come with numerous side effects (irritability, exhaustion, difficulty sleeping, etc.).
Sound familiar?
Well, last summer was the first time I actually made some real and meaningful changes to my “pre-vacation workout”, and what a difference it made. My revised “pre-vacation workout” went something like this:
As you might imagine, this new “pre-vacation workout” also significantly changed my “post-vacation workout” in positive ways. I’ll be honest, these workouts were still gruelling in their own way as they gave my courage and self-compassion muscles quite the work out!
Unlike my original “pre-and post- vacation workouts,” however, these revised ones produced numerous benefits resulting in me leaving for and returning from my vacation in a well-rested, calm, and happy state.
I’ll be honest, it felt pretty good! (Unfamiliar, but good.)
I’m planning to give my courage and self-compassion muscles another workout this summer and set up my “pre-and post vacation workouts” in ways that help me truly connect with and benefit from my well-deserved vacation.
What do your “pre-and post-vacation workouts” look like? If they have more negative side effects and few/no benefits, what are some changes you could make to them this summer to reduce the negative side effects and enhance the benefits?