My family and I took a family vacation to Wisconsin Dells at the end of June. Let me tell you, I had no idea how much I needed the vacation. If you have never been to Wisconsin Dells, I highly recommend it. Yes, it is touristy, but the Dells on the Wisconsin River are beautiful. Next time I go, I will probably spend more time taking in the surrounding natural beauty than riding on the water slides. Don’t get me wrong, I love a good water slide, but the natural beauty of the Wisconsin River was good for my soul.

After a week of vacation, I returned home ready to tackle my latest projects. I planned to blog about how vacations are beneficial for creativity before the trip, but I am glad I waited until after the trip to observe it firsthand.

We know vacations are good for us because they are an escape, a chance to recharge and rest. When you get away from your daily routine and leave your stressors behind, your brain can relax. Ideally, your cortisol levels drop, and your serotonin and dopamine levels increase boosting your mood. Also, when you are in a new environment, your senses are on overload. There are new sights, sounds, and textures for your brain to process. This helps with the flexibility of your brain because these new situations cause you to problem solve and make new connections. We know traveling is good for a creative mindset, so how do we reap the most out of our travel to increase creative output?

Here are some of the things I did differently on this vacation that helped me feel refreshed and ready to be more creative and productive when I got back to work.

1. Say “Yes!” – Most of our vacation went smoothly, but what is life without a few hiccups? Unfortunately, on one of the last days, my husband had to work remotely all day. I could have been mad about it, but instead, I saw the opportunity and said, “Yes, this will still be a good day.” I was able to take charge of the day with my two boys and explore a new city. We had a great time at the zoo and on a wagon ride in the Lost Canyon. When we met up with my husband for dinner, I felt confident that I could travel alone with my kids and have a fun time doing it. It opened up a new world of possibilities for me that I did not think was possible before.

2. Be curious – While on the trip, I wanted to explore EVERYTHING. I know that is not possible, but what was possible was walking along the river, talking to the locals, trying new foods, and straying off the beaten path. These experiences gave me a new perspective, which led to new ideas for when I came home.

3. Let go of assumptions – This one ties the previous two together. Be observant of your negative intrusive thoughts and flip them on their head. Some of the attractions were tourist traps, but we did them anyway. And we had a great time! Instead of assuming we knew what to expect, we looked at it as an opportunity to open our minds and try something new. It made for some great memories, and we usually learned something too.

4. Take some time for yourself – My husband is gracious, and we both took turns having time to ourselves on this vacation. I was able to get lost in a book, color, and I watched THREE movies. This allowed my brain to give full focus to the activities that give me joy and recharge my battery.

5. Let go of the routine – We were on island time in the Dells. We went to sleep when we were tired and woke up when we were ready. We did not set any alarms and did not have an exact plan for our vacation. We had a good idea of what we wanted to do each day, but we left our schedule flexible. This reduced our stress because we were not triggered by the day-to-day routine, leaving us feeling better and more confident about our vacation.

BONUS TIP: Express yourself creatively while on the trip. Journal, take pictures, scrapbook, sketch – make it tangible to keep your emotions tied to the destination alive.I hope these tips inspire you to make the most of your next vacation and return with a rejuvenated creative spirit!