Florida by Daniel - Sunshine State of Mind

Relax to the Max

It's 5 pm on the eve of your vacation. You've sat through your last meeting, fake-laughed at your co-worker's last bad holiday joke, and have already mentally checked out since lunchtime.

Vacation baby!

Put away the turtleneck and slide into some flip-flops. Next stop: a Florida paradise complete with cabanas, silky white beaches, and sunshine!

Now that you're comfortably seated in the sand and working on your tan, let me share four of my favorite dos and don'ts to make this your most relaxing vacation ever.

Do: Settle into a Routine

I hate day trips to the beach. After fighting beach traffic all morning (stressful), finding that perfect parking spot (nearly impossible) and exerting SO MUCH EFFORT to get to the beach, it becomes a requirement to maximize every minute in the sun. This usually leaves me feeling burnt out -- in more ways than one.

But I LOVE extended stays at the beach! There is no need to maximize your efforts to make things happen...you've got all the time in the world!

Many of us tend to drop all forms of discipline on extended vacations, but I think it's really important to keep a routine (even if it's not your every day norm).

I like to start my morning a little early and head down to the beach to grab that primo lounge spot near the water. It's a satisfying feeling to claim that first spot and watch the sun rise.

Then, when the sun is ablaze midday, I go inside. Eat some fruit. Take a nap. Drink some water. A little later in the afternoon, I go back out after resting and enjoy a book for a few hours before sunset.

Eat. Sleep. Repeat.

I know it sounds simple. But that's what I think a vacation should be. Find your own routine and stick with it and you'll be pleasantly surprised at how relaxing it can be.

Do: Get Some Exercise

Hear me out.

Getting in a short run, yoga session, or swim in the morning will not only wake you up and clear your mind, but it will also help you burn off some of the calories that you will be consuming during the day to stay hydrated. You'll feel better about yourself on the beach, sleep better at night, and not have to worry about returning back home with what Court calls "The Pudge".

Don't: Check Work Emails

When I'm at the beach, my main goal is to relax to the max, and nothing kills this goal like checking work emails.

Nothing can kill a day (heck even a week) like a bad email from work. I know things come up and sometimes you have to respond to an email occasionally, but avoid checking emails just for the sake of "checking-in". WORRY is the last thing you want while on vacation.

If you have to leave your computer at home and delete Outlook from your phone, then DO IT. Anyway, after a day or two without emails, you won't even remember your boss's name.

Don't: Overspend

You don't need to overspend on things like a hotel or an excursion in order to have a fun vacation.

Overspending ruins the effortlessness of the trip so that you can't enjoy all the relaxing little moments. Every time you buy an extra coffee, dessert, or Mai Tai, the little calculator in the back of your head will be reminding you that you're stretched too thin and going to have to scrounge together when you get home. When we travel, we love to use credit card points (which we pay off religiously each month) to help cover the cost of flights and hotels and don't have to worry about eating into our accounts and savings.

Stick to a budget so you can confidently enjoy your vacation and even splurge a bit without the stress of checking our bank account.

We've complied these tips after a few years of trial and error vacation experiences, and we hope they help you enjoy your (much deserved) Florida vacation even more. If you have any tips of your own or stories about your recent Florida beach vacations, we'd love to hear from you! As always, you can reach us here: https://www.howiflorida.com/contact/.

Cheers!

How I Florida