Life
One of the biggest losses incurred by Meghan Markle's relationship with Prince Harry — aside from her departure from Suits, and Prince Harry's departure from romantic availability — is the death of The Tig, Markle's rather informative and definitely fun lifestyle blog. The Tig boasted a wealth of self-help tips and recipes, and somewhere in the archives is this fun piece: Meghan Markle's tips for the ultimate staycation. Truly, the Tig has everything, and we are much worse off for its demise.
Though I'm a big proponent of traveling, staycations are a great way to reset without having to shell out for plane tickets or Airbnbs, plus they give you an opportunity to check out museums, restaurants, cool hidden corridors, and other spots close to home that you might miss if you're regularly overwhelmed with work stuff. Or you can use a staycation to catch up on all 15 seasons of ER (now streaming on Hulu!). Either way, taking a few days to a week for yourself can do wonders for your stress level, even if it's not quite the same as posting up on the beach (although, if you happen to live near the beach, this makes for an excellent staycation activity, and I am very jealous).
Markle, who will probably never be permitted to take a real staycation again, thanks to the demands of royal life, had a bunch of useful tips for a stay-at-home holiday, dubbing the practice, "more restful than the rigamarole of planning a trip that takes you far and wide." Definitely true! Here's what she recommends:
1
Toss your technology
Markle says that to truly enjoy a staycation, you've got to log off. "Without the distractions of texting, Snapping, and reading endless emails, your brain will get the mental detox it so deeply deserves," she writes. "Turn those phones and laptops off and truly vacate." (You can keep your laptop on to watch ER).
2
Line up some tunes.
Markle suggests making a vacation-themed playlist to put you in the right mood. If it's beach vibes you seek, Markle says some ukelele music should do it for you; if you're looking for a more international experience, consider putting on some Serge Gainsbourg or Latin American hits.
3
"Treat yo-self"
I'm borrowing this header from Markle (who, in turn, borrowed it from Parks and Recreation), but it does convey the message best. Markle says you should use your staycation to splurge on self-care you might avoid in your every day life, like ordering in fancy delivery, getting a luxurious manicure, or drawing yourself an indulgent bath.
4
Turn your home into a personal theater
The beauty of a staycation is that you can watch as much television or as many movies as you want, without feeling like you should be doing something else. Pop some popcorn, pour yourself a drink, and pop on all the Hellraiser films, or a Star Wars marathon — no one will even judge you if you decide to watch the prequels just to stay true to the canon.
Best of all, as Markle points out, you can do all of this while donning your favorite pair of pajamas, or, in my case, an inside-out crop top and a pair of torn leggings. STAYCATIONS ARE FOR YOU, BABY.
5
Turn your home into a fancy hotel
One of my favorite things about traveling is staying in a hotel, and while I've unfortunately had to swap them out for Airbnbs and hostels thanks to my limited cash flow, I still dream of the individually-wrapped soaps, overpriced mini-bar, and occasional pillow chocolates. Markle suggests using a staycation as an opportunity to transform your own abode into the luxury accommodation of your dreams, which is extremely up my alley.
"Be it spa water (with sliced cucumbers in it), extra cozy slippers, plush bathrobes, perfectly crisp and ironed sheets; all of these elements can make your humble abode feel like a boutique hotel," she says. YES. I am requesting my days off as you read this.
