Vacation you is the everyday you (+ referral program launch!)

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Summer is right around the corner and practically in the air here in Colorado, and for many, that means it’s vacation season.

I wasn’t a huge vacationer growing up, but I remember our summers at the lake on my family’s boat, camping (primarily our 4th of July camping trips), and the rare trip by plane.

Vacations, in almost any form, leave a lasting impact on us. Some psychologists study the short- and long-term effects of vacationing on people, and unsurprisingly, they see a mix of positive physical and mental health benefits. Similarly, vacations can help us unleash creativity and benefit our brains.

If you’ve ever been on vacation, you probably don’t need me to tell you about the benefits because you’ve likely experienced them. And I don’t know about you, but I love who I am on vacation.

Emily Henry captured it best in the opening lines of her book People We Meet on Vacation*:

There’s something about vacationing that allows us to feel free to be ourselves, relax and roll our shoulders back, laugh more, and rush less. We’re more present with our people and pack a lifetime of memories into a few short days. We might pick up the book we’ve been “hoping to read” all year or take more naps and let our bodies and minds rest. Or we might explore a new location until our feet are tired but our hearts are full.

No matter what kind of vacationer you are, I hope you always enjoy who you are when you get the chance to venture out of your day-to-day. And I hope you’ll consider what you love about yourself on vacation and how you might incorporate some of your favorite aspects into your “normal” life. Maybe you’ll wear your favorite vacation shirt more, make the foods you love to eat while you’re away, or take a nap outside in the sun simply because you can.

You don’t have to wait for those few and far cherished moments to be the most intentional and well-loved version of you. You already are.

❤️ Today’s post was written with extra love for my Grandma Janet, who passed away shortly before she was planning to go on her first-ever cruise with her best friend.

Introducing the Time Intentional Sticker Pack! (Referral Rewards!)

They’re here, they’re here! I am so excited to share the first look at the Time Intentional Sticker Pack! When you refer 3 new readers to Time Intentional, you’ll earn a snail mail package containing these stickers and a handwritten note.

Please remember that it’s important to me that we invite readers who will genuinely enjoy this newsletter and the content I share. I appreciate your referrals and ask that you please be intentional when sharing!

My friend, Sam Dubeau, a Canada-based brand designer, lettering artist, and calligrapher, illustrated these stickers with love. Sam has been one of my virtual coworkers for the last year. She is an incredibly creative, talented, and warm human being. I approached her with a few scribbled notes and a vision for these stickers, and she over-delivered. They’re perfect!

You can learn more about Sam’s services here. If you’re a Notion user, consider checking out her Notion templates! And please consider subscribing to her Substack, Cozy Productivity Club.

Thank you, Sam, for your friendship and bringing these designs to life.

Time Well Spent: Weekly Roundup

Thank you for your feedback! Based on the poll, I’ll rotate between one reflection with practical tips and three takeaways.

We planted flowers and gardened this week (one of my favorite spring hobbies!). Sometimes, I rush through even the activities I love and enjoy to quickly move through my to-do list. Planting and gardening (and any other time-consuming hobbies) can become exhausting if you squeeze too much in at once. Instead, we purchased supplies one evening and spread the work over a few days. Not only did I enjoy gardening for more than one day, but the process was much more enjoyable, too. Take this as a sign that you don’t have to cross an item off your list in one day.

The Takeaways

• Choose a time-consuming activity or hobby you enjoy, and rather than completing it at once, try:

  • Breaking the activity into smaller tasks: This won’t work for all activities, but for many, you can break them down into smaller parts and spread them out.

  • Dedicating multiple smaller time blocks versus one larger one: Spread the activity out so you can enjoy it longer (and hopefully show up more present).

  • Matching your energy: If it doesn’t feel like the right time to enjoy the activity, reschedule or postpone until it does (assuming it isn’t time-bound). Don’t let pressure prevent you from enjoying what you love.

I’m Alyssa Towns, a freelance writer, and this is Time Intentional, a newsletter exploring what it means to spend our limited (and precious) time intentionally. Only you can decide how to spend your time in a way that feels intentional!

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