Like most of us, I looked forward to having a break from my full-time role in the weeks leading up to it. I made plans.

I was armed with a long list of things I planned to accomplish, the people I wanted to see, creative tasks that sat on the back-burner while working and goals for my long free, I'm-so-spoiled days.

I'm not sure how you handle the carefree days of summer but I am surprised (why would I be?) how quickly the time goes by. My list of things to do still sits with very little crossed off and oh my goodness there are only a three weeks left. (Yes, I did say that I was spoiled.) I have had many laughs and coffees with my catch-up-with friends. How do you estimate the value of that?

An extra yoga class each week has been squeezed in to the day time hours, instead of racing racing racing to an evening class. Walking in the morning, smelling my neighbours' cooking their bacon and puttering in their gardens has set my senses tingling.

A few trinkets have emerged, created while sitting in the dining room a glass of wine by my side, watching some "girlie" Fashion Friday show (recorded earlier that day). A few trips to Value Village to secure some discarded jewelry pieces that could be re-born, not quite on my list but fun nevertheless.

My to-do list sits on my desk ignored.

Do you plan to accomplish too much too? How do you handle it? Or perhaps you just don't make a list for your vacation time?

Plans to grow my writing contacts list, submit to various magazines, make additional connections on social media. What about contributing my photography, volunteering at my library, hey what about just sitting in the library to... read?

It's the end of the seventh month of my Simplify year and this is what my so-far vacation reflection time has brought me.


- donate or discard unwanted/duplicate items - Visit a thrift shop, someone needs them more than I do
- only bring an item home from Value Village that will be usable on a future creative project (got to keep an eye on this one, anyone want to take on that task for me?)
- write, like no one is going to read it - I am much too old to care to follow someone else's rules
- coffee on the balcony in the morning is worth driving on winter roads for a lot of months to get this time off
- meeting with friends to share our stories feeds your soul, priceless
- celebrate your good health each day - look around, not everyone has it
- life is unfolding whether you are on vacation or not - use the time to recoup, regroup, relax, reenergize. You'll have more to offer.
- trust that you don't have to do everything


I decided to do what this person on vacation must do, I threw out my to-do list.


I know that I will not regret this, I've thrown out my to-do list. (Click to Tweet)


Do you plan to accomplish or only to play during your vacation? (Click to Tweet)