For the past few months, we’ve been encouraged to stay at home, only go out for essentials, and keep distance from others. Restaurants, bars, and hotels were closed, and travel plans were dashed as airports closed.

Countries are slowly reopening, and life is creeping towards some normalcy. However, many of us are left anxious or fearful about going out.

The idea of spending time away from your home, especially where there might be crowds, and sleeping in a rental space or hotel, might terrify you.

However, spending some time away from home might be just what you need after the stress and disruption of quarantine.

Here are four reasons you should think about taking a staycation if you can.

You still need time off

To deal with financial losses due to COVID-19, many businesses have introduced pay cuts and lay-offs, meaning for those still employed individual workloads have likely increased. So, if you’re working, it’s likely that you’ve got more on your plate now than ever before. Also, if you’re working remotely, it means that you’re dealing with all of this in your home. Even if you love working from home, your work stresses will spill over into what should be a place of escape. A quick staycation to get you out of your daily routine could do a world of good to rejuvenate you. You don’t need to do a hotel or vacation rental stay, even a day out in nature might be just what you need to prevent or cope with job burnout.

There might be deals

COVID-19 hit the hotel industry hard, leading to closures and layoffs. Though countries are starting to reopen their borders, international travel won’t bounce back overnight. You might find hotels offering discounts and deals to encourage local tourists to come and stay. You could find deals at hotels you may not ordinarily have been able to afford but have always wanted to experience. If you’re planning to take advantage of discounts, you’ll want to ensure that you call the hotel you’re considering and ask about their safety measures.

You’re supporting the tourism sector

Hotel staff suffered layoffs while their workplaces were closed. Restaurants and cookshops shut their doors. Artisans and small business depending on tourism have also been badly affected. Taking a staycation in a different part of your country means you’ll be putting money into places heavily affected by the pandemic.

Less stress

Even if you’re still enthusiastic about visiting other countries, international travel is going to be more stressful than it has been in a long time. From temperature checks, health screenings, masks and other safety measures, the airport experience won’t be fun. There is also uncertainty about what might happen if you get sick abroad. With all the other pandemic-related stresses, you should aim to keep your travels as low-key and relaxed as possible. A staycation is perfect for that. Vacationing in your home country is less expensive, puts money back into the economy, and comes with less uncertainty.

If you decide to staycation, remember to keep social distance, practice good personal hygiene in public and stay safe!

Liked this article? Be sure to check out our interview with Jamaica Inn on how the hotel is adapting post-COVID and our interview with vegan farm-to-table experience Stush in the Bush on using this time to get creative.

Sources: Lonely Planet, Vox