A Definitive List to Staying Sane While Getting Ahead in Your Career

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(Image credit: Archives)

published 29 May 2014

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If you're anything like me, your job doesn't allow for much down time. Taking a vacation is often out of the question when you work in a digital world filled with Kimye weddings, award shows, and time-sensitive viral videos. Technically, yes, I can take time off. But do I really want to miss the day that Scout Willis posts a NSFW protest on Twitter? Hell no. I love my job.

So, in order to get some uninterrupted me time every now and again, I have become a huge fan of the staycation. It means minimal time away from the office, full access to wifi — just in case — and a few blissful moments dedicated to yours truly. Not to mention less stress in the way of finances.

Though there are about a million things you can do during your staycation, here are my top five selections for some well-deserved R&R.

1. Stay two nights in a luxe hotel. I chose The Plaza Hotel because I've always had a thing for Eloise... and bathrooms gilded in gold.

2. Get a spa treatment. My personal favorite is Bliss's Scrub & Color. Just because you're not away on vacation doesn't mean you can't come back with a tan.

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3. Rent a car. This way, you can get in some of those important "twentysomething" bonding moments with your buds on a day drive to a nearby city, beach, or concert.

4. Explore a different part of town. There's no way you're familiar with every nook and cranny of your city. Check out a new restaurant, people watch in a café, or hit up those note-worthy landmarks you haven't gotten around to visiting yet. The world is yours!

5. Sleep in. This may seem obvious (and perhaps unnecessary) but I promise, it's not. The number one thing I sometimes forget to take seriously while working is a good night's sleep. Wash your face, put on your softest pajamas, and hit the sack... hard. It'll do more good than you think.

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Photos via Hallie Gould

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Hallie has worked in beauty editorial for ten years and has been editorial director at Byrdie since 2021. Previously, she was a senior editor at Byrdie since 2016. During her time at Byrdie, she's written hundreds of high-performing stories on skincare, wellness (including fitness, diet, mental health, body image, et al) makeup, and hair. She's a regular on set, helping to source inspiration for makeup and hair looks, as well as interviewing celebrities, models, and other notable women and men in the beauty space.

Before that, Hallie ran Marie Claire's social media and wrote beauty and culture stories for the site, and helped launch Time Inc.'s digital-only beauty brand, MIMI. After college, she contributed to Time Out New York’s Shopping & Style section before landing her first beauty editor gig at Hearst's Real Beauty. Hallie's writing has also appeared in ELLE, Cosmopolitan, and InStyle. Hallie graduated with a BA in Communication Arts from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.