Artwork by Trevor Anzai

I was forced to change my vacation plans when the pandemic affected us two years ago. My old roommate and I were to visit my grandparents in New Brunswick. However, the country shut down on March 13th, 2020.  My grandmother phoned that afternoon and she said we shouldn’t be coming. 

Frustrated, I drove back home to vent. There, my family and family friends encouraged me to use my time wisely, even though it would look different. Our family friend asked if I could paint her an art piece in my spare time, which I started that week. The photo above is that very artpiece: the woman at the well, a rendition of Antonio de Bellis’ work. I completed it later that summer.

My old roommate and I then decided to travel to my Mom’s cabin in the Ontarian woods, as New Brunswick was closed off. It was a relaxing time. Then, I drove him back to Montreal and we spent a day in the city. I collected my first of many house plants at the Jean Talon market. My time was well spent after all. It turned into something special. 

Three questions changed everything for me. Every night, I reflected on how I would use the gift of my vacation time for the next day. I wrote down three things that would bring me life:

1. What is one productive thing I can do?
2. What is one fun thing I can do?
3. What is one social thing I can do?

These questions helped me use my time wisely and effectively. While vacation time is a gift, time itself is more precious. We can waste it, or we can seize it. The shutdowns of the pandemic forced me to use my time well, even if things were cancelled or postponed unexpectedly. Even now as my wife and I staycation this winter, we’re reflecting on these self-care questions to make the most of our holidays.  

Here are some staycation things I’ve recently done:

Productive things: went Christmas shopping, cleaned the front hall, and made a meal for a sick family member.

Fun things: watched Lionel Messi win a World Cup, played chess games, and sipped a nice winter latte with my wife.

Social things: went to Sunday Mass, took care of Mom’s cute puppy, and invited a few friends over.

These are all simple things that brought joy to our days. We’re trying to live out a wonderful vacation, but at home. So far, it’s been blessed. Our time is used wisely and we’ve enjoyed ourselves. We might not follow our self care plans to the letter, but the intention of living well on vacation remains a key focus of healthy living. Answering and living out these three questions have definitely helped.

This article is part of the Leadership section. Check out more entries here!