How to Plan the Perfect Personal Getaway

In a world filled with hurry, we need to set aside time for rest. When we find ourselves in a frenetic pace of life, we need to commit time for physical, mental and emotional breaks. Darling teamed up with Avocado Mattress and Amelia Edmondson to create the perfect getaway to inspire you to plan a time away for your own self-care. 

Location is Key 

If you have the budget, then try to remove yourself from your everyday surroundings. Getting out in nature will give your brain a reset. Taking ourselves out of our everyday setting can signal to our brains that it is OK to turn off. If you can’t get out of town or can’t go stay somewhere else in your city, then try to make your home a stress-free zone. Take a couple hours to set aside laundry, the TV remotes, unopened piles of mail or anything else that might tempt you to slide back into your regular routine.

For our getaway, we chose Treehouses of Serenity in Asheville, North Carolina. Their treehouses offer a perfect break from everyday living without sacrificing the comforts of home. Avocado Mattress delivered a mattress directly to the treehouse—they ship everywhere in the United States—and we were able to watch the mattress unfold in a matter of minutes inside the treehouse.

Whether you’re able to find a special place in nature or make it a staycation, make sure your location provides a quiet place to get more sleep than you normally would. 

Create a Theme

Think ahead about what you want from your weekend getaway, and build in physical, emotional and mental tasks that fit your goal. It is tempting to treat your vacation like the finish line and cram everything into your schedule before you leave, but then, you’ll arrive without a plan of how to best use that vacation time. Take some time before you go to consider what you really need. Then, think about what you can do during your time away to meet those needs.

If you’re tired and feel disconnected from yourself or others, then take a daily walk, schedule a phone call with a dear friend and carve out time to write in your journal. If you are in a rut and want to stretch yourself beyond your comfort zone, then sign up for a new physical activity, invite a new friend to join you or try out a new creative project. If you feel overwhelmed and want to detox, then make a plan to have healthy foods, turn off your phone and make space for meditation. 

Here are some journal questions we like for a weekend getaway:

• What feels like it is working in my life right now?
• What feels like it isn’t working in my life right now?
• How can I take responsibility for my role in the things that aren’t working?
• What are some minor stressors I can eliminate from my daily life?
• What is one achievable thing I could do each week to feel refreshed?

Reflect on Your Takeaway 

When we realize we are worn out from our daily life, it is time to consider new habits and routines. A getaway is the perfect time to reflect on our life at home and consider what we might want to change. You might come home with revelations about your technology use habits, conviction that you need to set new boundaries or hope to reprioritize certain friendships. 

We partnered with Avocado Mattress for this getaway because their organic and sustainable bedding is a product we want to take home. Compared with standard mattresses that can be filled with toxic chemicals, Avocado Mattresses are better for your health and for the planet! Their products are handcrafted with certified organic materials (organic latex, cotton and wool that they source from their farms in India) and a recycled steel innerspring in their own Los Angeles factory. You can read about their materials on their website and trace the stories of their materials. We love their commitment and transparency.

Amazingly, Avocado Mattress is a Climate Neutral certified company, which means they’ve offset their entire carbon footprint (including shipping it to your house!) Last but not least, the organic Avocado Mattress and Pillows are so comfy and really make for a great night’s sleep!

This post is brought to you by Darling partner, Avocado Mattress. We’re proud to partner with brands that strive to create great consumer products. All thoughts and opinions remain Darling’s own.

Where are you going to go on your next getaway? If you’ve been on your getaway, what ideas or new habits do you want to bring home?

Images via Natalie E. Photography