If 2020 were a normal year and this was a typical summer, we would be somewhere far away from our homes, lazily stretched out before a body of water under the shade of an umbrella or walking around curiously, taking in new views and scanning new artefacts to take back with us.

Vacations are traditionally our avenues to put our busy lives on hold and truly live in new experiences that leave us rejuvenated and recharged for our realities. However, this year is nothing like a lot of us are accustomed to, and adjusting to a new reality in addition to everyday living has been rather challenging. As if this is not enough, most of us have now had to cancel our vacation plans due to the novel Coronavirus, and it is uncertain we would get any vacation time before the end of the year.

But these are not enough reasons to stop you from enjoying one, even if it’s from the comfort of your home. You have worked hard for it, your body needs it and you deserve it. Why not consider a staycation instead? Wondering how you can pull it off?

A. Plan well ahead of time.

If you were travelling for a vacation, you would make plans on where to stay and what to do. A vacation at home is no different.

Draw up a list of activities you would want to indulge in. This could include movies, visiting local tourist spots, a spa day, playing a game at home, camping in your backyard or even shopping in unknown spots. Resist the urge to stay in and sleep, as this will only reduce the fun a vacation gives.

B. Set the mood.

Fill your home with scented candles or diffusers to give it a different smell from what you are used to. Get ultra-high thread count sheets for your bed (like you needed any reason to indulge). Pull curtains or blinds shut to keep the outside world away. Basically turn your home to the luxury hotel or resort you would have stayed in if you had travelled.

C. Hire a chef.

Or order out if you can. You would not be cooking on a vacation now, would you? Well, a staycation is still a vacation, so make sure you stay away from your kitchen throughout the duration. Unless it is part of the fun activity you have lined up. In which case avoid cooking meals you are used to and look up new recipes. Involve the whole family and turn it into an interesting adventure!

D. And a house cleaner or a cleaning agency while you are at it.

The last thing you need on a vacation is stress, which is why your hotel room gets cleaned out for you.

Replicate the same service at your staycation. Hire someone to do the cleaning for you throughout this time.

E. Schedule a weekend visit to local tourist spots.

If you can. Sometimes, our immediate environment may not have tourist attractions, or we may have already visited them.

You can include an out-of-state visit to a tourist attraction in your plans. This can be a one day trip if it is not too far off or it could become your actual staycation. You can decide to go out of state with your family and rent a hotel room or a short-stay apartment close to the tourist attraction.

In the end, whether your staycation is for a week or just the weekend, remember to shut out the world and transform the experience into a proper adventure. Turn off phones or at least put them away while you relax. Make sure you have an out-of-office notification for your email so that no one is coming to disrupt your fun. A pandemic is no barrier to quality me-time or family time, and a staycation is a great way to still enjoy these moments even in the midst of travel uncertainty.