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The Home-Based Getaway

Posted on: Monday, 25 July 2005, 06:00 CDT

THE SOUND OF waves gently lapping against the shore. A coconut palm-fringed beach. A cocktail with a lurid paper umbrella protruding from the glass. These are the images that breaks are made of but what do you do if your living room is about as far as you are going to get this summer?

The answer is simple - you need to perfect the art of getting away from it all at home.

"This might sound like a contradiction in terms, but think about it," says Judy Jones in her stress-busting book Downshifting: the Bestselling Guide to Happier, Simpler Living. "We don't mean literally stay confined to the house, but use your time off from working or household duties to get to know your area better. It's much less hassle and requires much less organisation than preparing for a trek abroad. The time will fly by and you can feel relaxed and refreshed without having left the comfort of your own home."

A week in the sun might be just what you need right now but if time, or your budget, does not permit, there are things you can do to re-create that holiday feel-good factor right here. We asked two leading life coaches for their advice on how to get away from it all at home - whether you have an evening, a day, or a weekend.

1 If you only have an evening:

* Pamper

If time is short don't sit around doing nothing under the guise of relaxing. Pack the children off to Granny's for the evening, ask your partner to make themselves scarce, then go to the bathroom and shut the door. When life is busy, taking time out to soak in the bath - or apply fake tan - can seem like a waste. Your one night of self indulgence will, however, pay dividends later.

"Light some candles, put some relaxing music on and add essential oils to your bath," says Lynette Allen, the author of the busy women's guidebook Behind with the Mortgage and Living off Plastic. "Your bathroom is probably stuffed full of beauty products you never have time to use. For one night leave the washing and ironing and spend time on yourself. Not only will you get lots of compliments the next day but it will give you such a boost - physically and emotionally."

Wash away the stresses of the day by adding lemongrass oil to your bath, said to have energising and refreshing properties (try Botanics Aromatherapy Pure Essential Oil - Lemongrass, GBP 4.50 from Boots) and light some scented candles ( Jo Malone, GBP 38, www.jomalone.co.uk).

* Have an early night

You don't have to go abroad to recharge your batteries - you just need to get a good night's sleep, so go to bed an hour or two earlier than usual. This will boost your energy levels and help your concentration the next day. Make it a treat by putting on freshly washed sheets, sprinkling some relaxing lavender oil on your pillow (try Lavender Pillow Mist, GBP 5.50 from Boots) and tuck yourself in with a cup of sleep-inducing camomile tea.

2 If you only have a day:

* Escape with a book

It only takes a few hours to read most novels, so why not devote your day to reading an escapist story from beginning to end? "Turn your mobile off and go to a coffee shop - or sit in the lobby of a nice hotel - and open a book," instructs Allen. "Going out of the house to read ensures that you won't be disturbed, will help you switch off, and induce that feeling of 'getting away from it all'."

* Get physical

If your life has been too sedentary of late, use your free day to get active. Spend the morning shopping for some stylish trainers and workout gear, or peruse your local garden centre for plants and tools to create your personal Eden. In the afternoon get out there and do it. Fresh air and exercise will get your feel-good endorphin hormones pumping - putting you in a good mood.

* Order a takeaway

You wouldn't think about doing housework or cooking while on holiday, so why spend time in the kitchen on your home break? Relax with a glass of wine and order in your favourite takeaway dinner.

3 If you only have a weekend:

* Get lost in thought

Start your weekend by switching off for a morning, in every sense of the word.

Turn off the television and the radio. Forget your morning paper and just sit and enjoy the sound of silence. Listen to your thoughts. Take time to reflect and think things through.

"You need a day off the treadmill to analyse your life," says GMTV's lifestyle guru Dawn Breslin. "So often we don't stop to think until something goes wrong. Before that happens, spend time thinking about how your career is developing, whether you are happy in your relationship, and check on your emotional well-being. It's vital to keep a check on your identity."

* Make a date with yourself

Now you have touched base with who you are and what you want, spend your first afternoon indulging these desires. "Write a list of things you enjoy doing and then make a point of doing them," suggests Breslin. "Take yourself to a cafe for a coffee and a slab of cake, go and see an exhibition of your favourite artist, or go shopping. Do things that indulge your soul and make you feel special."

Find out which current exhibitions might appeal at www.24hourmuseum.org.uk.

* Savour the exotic

Part of the joy of holidays is tasting the local delicacies and sampling the regional tipple, but you don't need to travel abroad to do this.

Breslin suggests giving your taste buds a treat by visiting your local Chinese market for unusual ingredients, or visiting the deli counter for cheese and meats from all around the world. Choose a country and a CD of music to match, and pretend you are having dinner miles from home.

* Travel

"You don't need to go abroad to experience new things - you can travel inwards," says Breslin. "Enrol in a workshop or buy a self- help book and explore yourself. Do something wacky such as art therapy or something spiritual such as learning to find your inner angel. This journey of self-discovery is just as valuable as an outward journey."

So use your second day to explore something new. The Salisbury Centre in Edinburgh runs workshops on everything from dance to meditation. Visit www.salisburycentre.org for more details.

* Change your world

If you're not seeking the company of others on your break, why not re-decorate or de-clutter your home?

It might not sound like much of a break, but the sense of achievement will be energising. "Get lost in redecorating a whole room. Paint it a different colour and invest in new duvet covers," suggests Breslin.

"Alternatively, sort through your drawers and have a clear-out. It will make you feel organised and in control, making it easier to face stress at work."

* For more life coaching tips visit www.lynetteallen.co.uk or www.dawnbreslin.com

* Additional reporting by Alice Robertson.

Source: Scotsman, The

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