HACKER Q&A
📣 renaissance_tea

2 weeks off work, what to do?


Rough year of self induced stress for me so I’m taking two weeks off. What would you do?

Where I live, I have no friends and family. Looking for ideas to reset and have a good, productive time off


  👤 yetanotherforg Accepted Answer ✓
Personally two things come to mind: Hedonistic or Noble

Hedonistic: Fly to Amsterdam one way, buy a few doses of truffles, smoke some weed, see some boobs or whatever floats your boat I dunno. Then go to centraal station, buy the first train ticket and keep traveling. Stay in hostels, be open to meeting people. Every hostel will point you to walking tours in the morning, and usually a group will go together. Just join that group.

Saying "Hey, I've got some mushrooms, why don't we all go find somewhere to do them and hike" is actually a great icebreaker at a hostel. It's how I met my (sober) wife. Making friends at hostels throughout Europe was how I rebuilt my life after burning out on my 100% tech social network.

--

Nobel: Call up Habitat for Humanity, tell them you have 2 weeks free and want to help out on a build if they have any open in the country. I did this as well, it's how I learned carpentry.


👤 pibechorro
Travel. Dont over think it. Go now, go light. Just book a hotel\hostel somewhere out of the beaten path for a few days to get your bearings then explore and wing it. You dont need\want an itenary, doors will open to you unkown when you take the first steps there. Visiting natural wonders is a good way to guide you..

👤 thewizardofaus
Spend some time out in nature. Extended periods of time away from the computer and out in nature is good for the soul.

👤 QuiCasseRien
Many workaholics feel the need to do something productive during holidays. That's a paradox !

During a time off, you're allowed to do nothing and to rest. Nobody will judge you.

If you afraid of being lonely and have a budget, you can travel, discover new things or culture, meet people and embrace your life as the song "Sea, Sex and Sun".


👤 phendrenad2
Sleep a lot, eat your favorite foods, eat healthy, work out, just go sit on a beach or park bench, work on a dream project you always wanted to start on. Just things that come to mind.

👤 badrabbit
Get busy with something even if that is vacationing. Just don't sit around and sleep+idle you will regret it. If you can't do anything else wander about aimlessly in your city and discover stuff.

👤 terminalcommand
Seriously, if you have the money go and travel. Visit family if you are on good terms with them?

👤 liampulles
Best holiday I had in recent memory was in a cottage overlooking a big river with no electricity - so I read books all day, swam, and had some good pizza.

👤 duped
Don't be productive, go visit friends and family. Hang out in the woods. Take up a hobby with low mental overhead.

👤 slaw
Fly to Bangkok and stay in a hostel close to Khaosan. If you are less than 35 you'll find buddies here.

👤 subderisorious
Go to Costa Rica and learn to surf.

👤 petronio
If you have a license, take a road trip, they can be quite relaxing solo. Every morning when you wake up just look at the map and figure out where you want to reach that day and take it from there.

👤 schaefer
Can you get into a silent meditation retreat?

I just got out of one, and all the things I learned about myself, and how I relate to my emotions has been fascinating.


👤 lowkey
Two big wins for self-care: long walks and meditation

👤 runald
Nothing. Do nothing. Bore yourself out of your mind. Resist wanting to do anything useful or productive. Look, listen and smell your surroundings. Remind yourself what it means to be alive. You now have time to gaze what the sky looks like again, or appreciate how nice your floors or walls are. Do this until you genuinely want to do something again.

👤 leros
Stay away from you computer.

👤 david927
Travel somewhere. Explore. Get lost. Have fun.

👤 paulcole
I just started a month off of work (same situation as you) and will be returning at the start of January. I’m going to be keeping up with a running training plan I started a few months ago, trying to read a book every day or two, going to the coffee shop I like, and that’s it.

👤 andy800
Specifically because it's December, take a look at whitewater rafting in Chile on the Futaleufu River. Not cheap but looks absolutely amazing. (if it was summer I'd suggest Middle Fork of Idaho's Salmon River, which I've done and strongly recommend!)

👤 malermeister
If you're struggling with self induced stress, try not to have a "productive" time off.

Go travel, somewhere you've always wanted to go. Or get high and play video games if that's more your speed.

Do whatever seems fun, don't be occupied with productivity.


👤 orzig
Go to the closest library, get as many completely different books as catch your interest. Go home and spend at least 10 minutes with each book, of course going longer if you are enjoying it.

Take a break every once in a while for a light exercise.

Spend as little time with technology as possible.

Repeat daily.

That’s it.


👤 CrazyIvan
Whatever you do, most likely you will come back to work with rejuvenated hate towards it.

👤 Sevrene
Look inward, focus on yourself. Don't be sorry about it. If that means rest, or doing 'nothing' all day looking out a window or in nature don't feel bad it.

👤 xyzal
Do not touch any computers (phone included). Just do it!

👤 s3000
It's nice how your name matches your question.

👤 turing_complete
Go to the gym, read great books, meet new people.

👤 ddorian43
Find new hobbies. Try skiing. Try kickboxing. Try dancing classes. Do weight training.

👤 iLoveOncall
> productive

Don't try to be productive, you won't be refreshed.


👤 julienreszka
>I have no friends and family

start friendships, go on dates


👤 genjii931
Learn to cook your favorite dishes.

👤 zem
relax with a good novel!

👤 noam_compsci
Buy and download Elder Scrolls online. Drop me your user name and you can join my clan (depending on where you play it).

You’ll have friends that will fast become family :) it is a challenging but achievable game with a lot of depth.