Asking yourself the right questions
Who am I? What everyday life am I in? Where do I have to bend over in my job and how can I take countermeasures on vacation? Most people recover best with experiences that create contrasts with everyday life. Anyone who rolls around files in the district administration department day after day can let the adventurer out on a quad bike ride through the Alps. Researcher Stark often advises people who talk all day to solitary rest: alone on the beach with a book. And people who muddle away on their own may relax best in a club among many people.
Lock the front door - from the outside
Staying at home - this is what vacation researcher Stark advises against. "During such free weeks, I got a letter from the tax office saying I had to submit my tax return as soon as possible." Sorting receipts instead of resting is not a good idea. At home, everyday life quickly catches up with you. It doesn't have to be Sri Lanka right away - a few days in a tent or in a mountain hut can do it too.
Don't fall into the status trap
North Sea island, holidays on the Chiemsee - how boring is that? On the other hand ... "Holidays have increasingly degenerated into a status symbol in the last ten years," says Stark. Jetting to Thailand for a week, five days in New York, seven days through the Gobi desert: sounds great. But by the time our soul and our sense of time have arrived there, we usually have to drive home again - stressed out.
Arrive and depart relaxed
Quickly stuff everything into the suitcase - and off you go: If you really want to make a clear line between everyday life and vacation, you prefer to take more time, says vacation researcher Sonnentag. So body and mind have time to prepare for the vacation. Packing and arrival can be celebrated. Who says a four-hour drive has to be annoying? You can relax and enjoy your first cappuccino on the way, stop at a beautiful piece of forest and go for a walk, while you are driving you can hear the thriller that has been on the shelf for so long ...
First sleep in
The Pope does it, and so does the Chancellor. You stay in bed until you feel really relaxed. Warning: It shouldn't be longer than eight to nine hours! Otherwise, you feel tired.
Power walking
Already 30 to 45 minutes reduce nervousness and reduce stress hormones. With every step, first put your foot down with your heel, then roll over the entire sole to your big toe. The body is upright and you consciously pull your shoulders back and down. The step frequency: 100 to 120 steps per minute. For the experienced: 120 steps or more.
Do nothing
Do nothing for at least half an hour while calming your thoughts. This works with meditation, qigong or just looking at clouds in silence or listening to nature. What is actually happening in me? If you know how you feel, you will find it easier to enjoy life.
To try something new
What have you been looking for for a long time? What have you been interested in for a long time? Time for a little thrill. Try out what climbing feels like on the climbing wall. Buy lots of exotic ingredients and cook a dish you've never cooked before. Distracts you from possible loops of thought about the job.
time for me
Time for rest, reading, listening to music, calming down your nerves. Ideal when a fragrance lamp exudes calming aromas. Warm and sweet fragrances such as rosewood, basil, and clove are suitable for this. You can also drizzle Ayurvedic Vata aromatic oil (from the health food store) on a handkerchief and place this under the pillow. Smell it a few times before going to sleep.
Tension-relaxation meditation
Stand up straight, feet shoulder-width apart, relaxed in your knees, shoulders, and hips, eyes closed. Now breathe out vigorously through your nose and let the airflow in again through your nose as you breathe in, the body is allowed to move in shoulders and hips. It is not important to breathe regularly, it is more important that breathing is fast and hard. The main thing is that the blood is optimally enriched with oxygen. Danger! Duration: 3 minutes. After that, stretch and loll extensively, making sure to stretch your whole body like you would when you woke up in bed. Duration: 2 minutes. Now sit down, preferably with your back straight, not leaning against you. Close your eyes and quietly and without judgment, watch your breath flow in and out for 5 minutes.