Are the Most Refreshing Vacations "Skillcations"?

Summary

The Dr. Laura Podcast Episode: Are the Most Refreshing Vacations "Skillcations"? Host: Dr. Laura Schlessinger Date: May 27, 2026

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Episode Overview

In this engaging episode, Dr. Laura Schlessinger challenges traditional ideas about what makes a vacation truly refreshing. Instead of opting for idle relaxation, Dr. Laura advocates for the concept of "skillcations"—vacations centered around learning or honing a skill. Throughout the episode, she shares personal stories and psychological insights, arguing that active, skill-based getaways can leave people more restored and fulfilled than simple leisure time. The discussion is rich in practical advice, humor, and relatable anecdotes.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

Rethinking Vacations: Passive Leisure vs. Active Engagement

• Common Vacation Belief: Many people assume that lounging by water, reading novels, and “doing nothing” will leave them refreshed and ready to tackle work again.

  • "I'm just going to sit by water, be it an ocean, a lake, a river, a pool, put my feet up, read trash novels. And after that week I'll be revving to go refreshed…" (02:03)

• Reality Check: According to Dr. Laura, passive relaxation often doesn’t deliver the rejuvenation people hope for.

  • "Have you realized that generally you say after a vacation, I need a vacation to get over the vacation?” (02:20)
  • She explains that while being a "vegetable" for a day or two helps when you’re truly depleted, brains actually prefer new challenges and stimulation to feel refreshed. (02:34)

Introducing the “Skillcation”

• Definition: A vacation spent learning or improving a skill, such as cooking, birdwatching, or rock climbing.

  • "At least 40% of you take what is called a skillcation ... Learning a skill or getting better at a skill could be anything." (03:55)

• Benefits of Skillcations:

  • Keeps the mind occupied and away from work or financial worries.
    • "When you're lying down under the sun, reading a trash book or just trying to relax, does your brain really stay away from work or troubles or finances? No, it doesn't." (04:41)
  • Offers a sense of achievement and boosts self-esteem.
    • "Having a sense after the vacation of achievement and competence in something, that's exhilarating." (08:52)
  • Encourages real psychological refreshment through mental and/or physical exertion, not idle inactivity.
    • "It's a psychological need to truly refresh and reset. Relaxation is what most of you think about resetting and it doesn't work… but a mastery experience..." (08:25)

Dr. Laura’s Personal Experience: Leatherwork and Rock Climbing

• Leatherwork Skillcation: Dr. Laura shares her upcoming vacation plans to Ohio to pursue better skills in leatherwork, underlining the principle of “learning for refreshment.”

  • "My first week long vacation of this year, I'm spending half of it in Ohio, learning incredibly better skills in leather work." (02:59)
  • She mentions the practical hurdles (travel logistics), affirming it’s worthwhile: "But whatever, it's worth it. And I thought a lot about it… And I'm really excited and really happy about it, really." (09:45)

• Memorable Rock Climbing Story: Past experience climbing boulders in Phoenix highlights how an engaging activity can help you truly “switch off” from daily pressures.

  • "I remember went to Phoenix and decided it would be very cool to climb boulders. … Trust me, not a thought in your mind goes into work. Troubles, family troubles, elbow troubles. Except maybe if you're climbing, you're not thinking of troubles, you're relaxing in a different way." (07:33)

The Science: Why Mastery Refreshes Us

• Dr. Laura references research suggesting the brain prefers new challenges, not idleness, for real renewal.
  • "Our brain cells like to go to something new." (02:39)
  • She argues skillcations meet this inherent psychological need for novelty and mastery.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Post-Vacation Letdown:
  • "After a vacation, I need a vacation to get over the vacation." (02:20)
• On the Skillcation Advantage:
  • "If you really want to refresh your brain, take a skillcation because you'll be focused and fired up again because it's exciting and you feel a heightened sense of competence at something. Makes you feel good, makes you happy, makes you smile." (09:15)
• On Idle Relaxation:
  • "There's nothing exhilarating by sitting by the side of a pool, not putting your sunblock on often enough." (09:02)
• On Being Present During a Skillcation:
  • "When I got into it, and you're trying to think of where to put your fingers, where you supposed to put your toes. Trust me, not a thought in your mind goes into work…you're relaxing in a different way with mental and or physical exertion." (07:48)
• On Anticipation:
  • "And I thought a lot about it. I thought, am I really going to spend my vacation time doing this? And the answer was yes. Yes. And I'm really excited and really happy about it, really." (09:51)

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• [01:43] — Introduction to the episode’s theme: Rethinking vacations
• [02:34] — Why idle vacations don’t work for real refreshment
• [02:59] — Personal example: leatherworking skillcation plans
• [03:55] — Definition and description of “skillcation”
• [04:41] — Why passive vacations don’t shut off work-related stress
• [07:33] — Story: How rock climbing offered true escape
• [08:25] — The psychological need for mastery and novelty
• [09:15] — Recommendation: Why you should try a skillcation

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Conclusion & Takeaway

Dr. Laura’s message is clear and actionable:
If you want to finish your next vacation not just rested, but truly refreshed and invigorated, consider a skillcation. Learning something new, working on mastery, or engaging in an immersive hobby gives both your mind and spirit a much-needed reset. As Dr. Laura says, "You need a skillcation if you want your brain really to be happy at the end of it." (09:57)

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Follow Dr. Laura for more insights:

• Facebook
• Instagram
  For call-in advice, reach her at 1-800-DR-LAURA or drlaura.com.

Transcript

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I'm going to talk about something I think is fascinating today. Totally fascinating. And that's your idea of a vacation.

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A lot of you want to take

[Dr. Laura Schlessinger]

a vacation because you think, ah, I'm going to refresh myself.

I'm just going to sit by water,

be it an ocean, a lake, a river, a pool, put my feet up, read trash novels. And after that week I'll be revving to go refreshed. My brain will be happy and I'll go back to work and be just a killer. Yeah. Have you realized that generally you say after a vacation, I need a vacation to get over the vacation? Because it might be good if you're

really physically, mentally tired, to have a

day or two where you're a vegetable. But it's not really the way our brains prefer to refresh. They like to go to something. Our brain cells like to go to something new. My first week long vacation of this year, I'm spending half of it in

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Ohio, learning

[Dr. Laura Schlessinger]

incredibly better skills in leather work. My newest well, it's not so new. I think we're a year and a half now working into it. And I work at it when I'm very, very tired. Not just for vacation, but say on a weekend or on a Thursday, my brain is just tired. The workout was tough. I did.

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Ah. I will lay down, turn on a

[Dr. Laura Schlessinger]

stupid movie and have my tea. That's a brief episode to just let your blood pressure and everything come down. I can't do that every day and feel refreshed and ready to go back to work

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for me and for most

[Dr. Laura Schlessinger]

of you, as it turns out, at least 40% of you take what is called a skillcation skill cation. Learning a skill or getting better at a skill could be anything. Could be going somewhere and spending a week learning how to bake. Could be anywhere. Going for a week and learning this new thing about being able to detect what bird that is from its tail feathers and its squeak. Could be anything. Rock climbing. Let me ask you, when you're lying down under the sun, reading a trash book or just trying to relax, does your brain really stay away from work or troubles or finances? No, it doesn't. You go in and out of that, you get yourself a little frustrated with it. That's reality.

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[Dr. Laura Schlessinger]

But on a skillcation I remember went to Phoenix and decided it would be very cool to climb boulders. Climb rocks, climb up that hill, that mountain with using your feet and your fingers. I was wired. They had a rope and they make sure you don't fall. And I kept saying, you sure? Yes. You sure? Yes. Okay. When I got into it and you're trying to think of where to put your fingers, where you supposed to put your toes. Trust me, not a thought in your mind goes into work. Troubles, family troubles, Elbow troubles. Except maybe if you're climbing, you're not thinking of troubles, you're relaxing in a different way with mental and or physical exertion. It's a psychological need to truly refresh and reset. Relaxation is what most of you think about resetting and it doesn't work. I mean a little bit of it works, but a mastery experience, Learning how

to do something or learning how to do something better.

Having a sense after the vacation of achievement and competence in something that's exhilarating. There's nothing exhilarating by sitting by the side of a pool, not putting your sunblock on often enough.

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So if you really want to refresh

[Dr. Laura Schlessinger]

your brain, take a skillcation because you'll be focused and fired up again because it's exciting and you feel a heightened sense of competence at something. Makes you feel good, makes you happy, makes you smile. So think about that because that's what I'm going to be doing next month in the state of Ohio. And boy, getting there is quite a difficulty in terms of getting there at a reasonable time. Okay, if only they would leave at like three in the morning, I could be there at a reasonable time. But whatever, it's worth it. And I thought a lot about it. I thought, am I really going to spend my vacation time doing this? And the answer was yes. Yes. And I'm really excited and really happy about it, really. So you need a skillcation if you want your brain really to be happy at the end of it. Line number 1-800-375-2872.

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Every time you go to bed with a negative thought, you have to match it up with a positive one.

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