Sam Buckell pens this latest blog, reflecting on the value of pausing, stepping back, and granting yourself the freedom to have zero objectives.

I am off next week for the week.  A week at home with very few things planned.  Our grown-up son is home for the week too.  Fantastic.

I am currently trying a new thing.  I am trying not to plan too much.  Laughable for me as I itinerary every holiday, weekend break or just normal weekend.

I struggle to do nothing without feeling guilty.  I am also successful at doing nothing at home for a very reasonable amount of time.

I often declare – ‘we are doing nothing this weekend’, and then start to add things to it and before you know it I am busy all over the place.  And I feel lucky to do that. 

BUT please do not get the wrong impression.  I am nowhere near as busy as others, and in more recent times I have had to cancel a lot of things due to a few minor but inconvenient health issues.  No problem except it is very irritating.

So what’s my point.  My point is now that I am planning in advance to plan nothing.

Some people can have it all and do it all, but I really cannot.  And if you have read one of my blogs before, you know that I am not afraid to say that.

By planning nothing major, but I am actually planning rest.  Time to do things at home.  Those jobs that get bumped because being with people is more important.  I think it is.  I happily head off to volunteer at my local grassroots football club every home game at the weekend that I can.  Sometimes in the week.  But when I do – I am tired after!  So the decluttering of the spare room doesn’t happen again.  But the football is good for my mental health, so I go and push back the decluttering. 

However, I have recently actually started on the spare room.  It is a task, and it requires huge motivation and many tea breaks.  The realisation that I am not going to sell all my old business clothes on Vinted was met last weekend, and 10 bags went off to our local hospice shop. 

So back to next week.  We have planned one exhibition and lunch.  Very luckily, one day at Wimbledon.  Which requires much planning regarding outfit as the predicted weather seems to be getting hotter and hotter.

So – it isn’t just about the going out that wears me out.  Because the planning and travel all take their toll.  When I plan too much, we can’t be spontaneous – but if I don’t plan anything I don’t think I am spontaneous.  The double-edged sword.

So back to my point.  I think I feel that I need permission to just relax when taking a staycation.  Relax at home as I would by the pool.  Full disclosure – we don’t have a pool.  But I need to take the same attitude on the staycation as I would if I was getting on a plane to another country and culture.

Am I alone in this?  Is this something that you toil with too?  Guilt-free resting at home.  Wish me luck.  And I hope that you manage to get some of this in your diary too. If that’s what you want.  I wish you well. Have a great summer.