6 Ways to Keep Sabbath Rest Even While Traveling
As we packed up the truck with the last-minute items needed for the trip, I couldn't wait to start our vacation as a couple. We hadn't had a vacation the year before and were feeling exhausted. We couldn't wait to experience good rest. However, our trip involved seeing the sights of many states we had not seen before. By day five, we began to feel physically exhausted, but we couldn't figure out why.
We quickly realized that although we spent many hours on the road driving in the truck, we weren't getting rest because we were so excited to see different landmarks and our favorite stops. Even though we were on vacation, the stress of ongoing traffic, hot weather, and personal issues at home still weighed heavily on our souls. This causes us to feel burnt out and tired, even though we're on vacation.
We are not alone. Many people still feel burned out after taking a vacation. Some people say they need a vacation from their vacation! This is because it's still trying to entertain kids, and tasks such as obtaining food and booking hotels can be quite draining, even when taking a break from the regular work schedule.
Sabbath rest is just as important on vacation as it is during the regular work week. As you travel to different vacation destinations, remember that experiencing the sights and taking in all the stimuli can still take a toll on your mental and emotional health. It's essential to take a break one day a week to do nothing. This may mean relaxing for you, such as reading a fun book or taking a walk. Here are six ways to keep your Sabbath rest even while traveling:
1. Learn a Hobby
1. Learn a Hobby
Not only is it essential to take regular vacations for your emotional and mental health, but it is also good to take up a hobby that you enjoy doing. This helps focus your mind on something other than the cares of the day. You may also want to pick up a new hobby. This will help keep your mind focused on one thing for a sustained period. This allows your mind to stop worrying about many situations that come your way.
Knitting is an excellent pastime, as not only does it allow you to produce something tangible at the end, but it can also help you keep your hands busy and focus on something else while your hands are engaged in productive work. Once you master the different stitches, you won't expend your mental energy.
If a hobby doesn't seem interesting, take the time to read a book. Books are easy to pack and to get lost in. Try a genre you're unfamiliar with, such as speculative fiction or contemporary fiction. Get yourself lost in a novel and see where it leads. You may find yourself turning off the TV at night and diving into a good book instead.
2. Give Yourself Margin
2. Give Yourself Margin
Margin is most known as the breathing room you give yourself in your regular schedule. Throughout the year, we spend so much time running from activity to activity, that we barely give our minds or bodies time to rest. Schedule margin into your itinerary while you're traveling. For example, try to arrive one day early at your expected destination. This will give you time to book a hotel and enjoy its amenities. Dip in the pool, sit in the lounge area, and get to know people. Hotels offer many amenities that people often overlook because they're too busy with their actual destination. Use the hotel as an opportunity to lie around, watch TV, and take a nap.
Additionally, if you are attending a conference or other work-related trip, allow yourself to skip one or two workshops. Just because you're attending a conference doesn't mean you have to do everything you sign up for. If you're exhausted one day, don't push yourself to participate in every workshop or meaningful speaking event. Sometimes, the best thing you can do is process the workshops you attended and apply their lessons to your life. You may be able to do so quietly in a hotel room.
3. Practice Silence and Solitude
3. Practice Silence and Solitude
Traveling can be a great way to practice knowledge and solitude. Silence and solitude are often lost when it comes to spiritual disciplines, which can profoundly impact your emotional, mental, and physical health. Take a break from social media, draw the curtains, and lie quietly in your hotel room, surrounded by no external stimuli. Allow yourself one hour to complete this task. Try deep breathing and concentrate on the sound of your breath.
Inhale deeply for 10 seconds, hold for 10 seconds, and exhale deeply for 10 seconds. Do this for one hour. You'll be amazed at how much it slows your heart rate, helps you expand your breathing, and gives your body a little-known break. You can do this right before dinner or another meal to help you process your day.
God built natural ways to give your body rest, but we often don't utilize them regularly. Take time to take a break from processing stimuli, and you will see an improvement in your mental and emotional health.
Photo credit: ©GettyImages/Akarawut Lohacharoenvanich
4. Visit Local Churches
4. Visit Local Churches
Even if you are away from home, it doesn't mean you can skip your religious routine. Find a church within your denomination or venture to a different church to make room for God during Sabbath. Since most people still practice the Sabbath on Sundays, start your day with a lively service. Don't use travel as an excuse to be away from your brothers and sisters in Christ. It will refresh your soul in new ways and keep your mind focused on God.
Hearing a different passage of the Bible preached in a new way will give you something to ponder as you travel. You may have a great topic to discuss with your spouse or other travel buddy as you pass the time. You may even make a new friend in a new place.
5. Upload Podcasts
5. Upload Podcasts
Although podcasts will be part of your regular work schedule, listening to a new podcast and a new genre may also be an exciting way to learn new things as you travel. You can choose a celebrity podcast, watch old episodes of your favorite TV shows, or you can try two crime podcasts. Regardless of what you choose, make it something that we will look forward to during your Sabbath.
Take a moment to listen to the podcast. Get a notebook and even take some notes. This process is exhilarating as you learn new things and get involved in people's stories. There are numerous podcasts available, and a wealth of information to consume. See it as an opportunity to learn something new and to train your brain in a new and exciting way.
You can do the same thing with YouTube videos. If you've been in the car for an extended period and have some free time, consider accessing YouTube and exploring new videos to watch. You can watch a church service you haven't attended or choose to learn something new. Try to choose something that you wouldn't usually take the time to do during a typical workday.
6. Connect with Friends
6. Connect with Friends
In this fast-paced world, it is easy to forget that we need to connect with friends and have rich, rewarding conversations with others. However, because we live in such an independent world, it's easy to forget about friends and not talk to them for a long time. This creates a sense of distance with people who want to keep up with us and want us to know how we're doing. Make a point during your Sabbath rest to connect with one person whom you have not spoken to or seen in quite some time. You can connect with them via email, text, social media, etc.
Even if it means simply being a blessing to them by writing them a note of encouragement, it will help open the door for you to continue having a rich relationship with others. Reconnecting with old friends, hearing about how they're doing, and letting them know how you're doing is a great way to help combat loneliness and improve your emotional well-being. Please make a point to set aside half an hour on your Sabbath day to reconnect with someone you haven't seen in a while; you will find it is far more rewarding than you realize.
Sabbath rest is imperative, regardless of the time of year. It is also important to continue practicing during the travel period, even if it's part of work or a vacation. You can capitalize on the time spent getting from one destination to the next by picking up a new hobby, learning something new, or listening to a podcast.
Originally published July 09, 2025.
