A solo retreat can be an incredibly nourishing experience, offering you a chance to disconnect from your day-to-day responsibilities and the noise in your world to rejuvenate your spirit, and reconnect with your true self. But when planning one, one of the questions you may face is: How long should my solo retreat be? It’s not always an easy decision, as it depends on your goals, needs, and life circumstances. Here’s a few things to help you decide how long to stay for, whether it’s for a weekend, a week, or longer.
1. Reflect on Your Purpose
The length of your solo retreat largely depends on what you want to achieve. Are you looking for deep introspection, rest, or creative inspiration? Or perhaps you need space to work through a specific challenge or idea?
Rest and Relaxation: If your goal is simply to relax and unwind, a short weekend retreat could be sufficient. You can use this time to disconnect from the stresses of daily life, recharge your energy, take a walk at the nearby East Sooke park and enjoy a wellness session or two. Weekend getaways are great for those living nearby. Ie. Take a ferry over from Vancouver or Seattle for the weekend for a Vancouver Island retreat.
Deep Reflection or Healing: If you’re looking to carve out more space to dive deeper into personal reflection, emotional healing, or spiritual growth, a longer retreat (5-10 days) may be appropriate. The first couple of days can be spent settling into the experience, and by the end, you may feel more connected and clear.
Burnout Recovery: If you’re feeling quite burnt out and questioning what you can do to shift your life to be more in alignment with your well-being, you may benefit from a longer retreat. I’d suggest a minimum of 5 nights to help you reset your nervous system and start developing new healthy habits to prevent burnout from re-occurring. You may also want to continue receiving my support when you return home with professional coaching so you don’t slip back into the burnout cycle.
Creative or Business Focus: If your retreat is about inspiration or tackling a specific project, the duration might vary. Some people find a 3-5 day stay enough time to start carving out business clarity, start shifting feelings like self-doubt and book virtual coaching sessions for after they return home. While a more intensive project such as writing a book might call for more alone time and a longer stay (1-4 weeks) to provide you the opportunity for extended, uninterrupted creative flow or work.
2. Consider Your How You Want to Feel
Everyone has different energy rhythms, and it’s essential to consider how you want to feel while you are here.
Short Retreats (3-4 Days): Ideal for those who may not have a lot of time to spare but want a quick reset. A weekend retreat gives you just enough time to step away from your routine, let your mind settle, and relax. It’s also easier to fit into your schedule and gives you a little something to look forward too.
Mid-Length Retreats (5-10 Days): If you enjoy solitude and have the desire for longer periods of time away from your usual surroundings, consider a weeklong retreat. This allows for a deeper immersive experience. A week also gives you the time to gradually unwind and focus on self-care without feeling rushed.
Longer Retreats (10+ Days): For those who want to dive deeper into personal transformation or have focused creative time, or explore nearby sites and activities, a longer retreat can offer the opportunity to experience profound results and create lasting memories.
3. Ask Yourself How Much You Want to Explore
Consider how much you want to do while you’re here.
Is your main goal inner exploration? Are you looking to check in and stay nearby? People looking to recover from burnout or taking the time for a creative project such as writing a book, might want to spend most of their time on the property, enjoying the view, scheduling time for wellness sessions such as a soothing head and foot massage, sound healing or professional coaching.
While others want to explore and take in all that Vancouver Island has to offer, such as hiking at nearby rainforests or visiting the many gorgeous, rugged beaches along the west coast of Vancouver Island. Or spend the day in the city, enjoy local restaurants, visit gardens such as Hatley Castle, Butchart Gardens. Get active in nature with nearby kayaking. Or enjoy tourist activities such as a whale watching tour.
4. Review Your Schedule
Everyone has a different schedule and life rhythm. So, you’ll want to make sure that the retreat fits into your schedule without adding more stress. Here are some things to consider:
Family, Work, and Commitments: If you have work, family, or other commitments that need attention, you might opt for a shorter retreat or plan a time that works best for you. If you get limited vacation days from work, you may need to consider when you might space out your time off or combine your retreat with your other days off ie. Take Friday and Tuesday off over a long weekend could carve out time for a 5-day retreat while only using 2 vacation days. A weekend retreat or a few days away might allow you to carve out time for yourself while still honoring your commitments. Consider reframing your thoughts ie. us moms often feel guilty taking time for ourselves, but just like they say on the airplane, we need to put our oxygen mask on first before helping others. Or we worry how things will go at home without you there. What can you do to ease this worry? Ie. add a few extra meals to the freezer for your kids to eat while your away.
Financial and Logistical Factors: If you’ll be traveling by plane you’ll want to budget for that extra cost and a car rental. Also consider time zone changes as you may lose a day or so to travel. Our retreat offers the ability to prepare your own meals in the suite to save you money. And for those days you don’t want to cook you can order from our convenient heat & eat menu. Lastly, considering how much you want to spend on restaurants, wellness services and local activities. It is possible to work within a budget, but it sure helps to plan ahead. Longer retreats may require additional planning such as at home logistics ie. childcare, elder care and pet-sitting while you’re away.
5. Listen to Your Intuition
Your intuition can be an incredibly valuable guide when deciding the length of your retreat. Tune into how much time feels right for you and what your needs are. Do you feel the need to be away for a while to dive deeply into your personal growth? Or are you just wanting a brief break to reset?
Trust yourself to know how long you need to reconnect, rejuvenate, and reflect.
Conclusion: Trust Your Needs
There is no one-size-fits-all answer when it comes to how long a solo retreat should be. Your decision will depend on your goals, desires, and life circumstances. Whether it’s a weekend getaway, a weeklong retreat, or something longer, the most important thing is to choose a length of time that aligns with what you hope to gain from the experience.
The beauty of our private solo retreats is that they can be as flexible as you need them to be, offering you the space to create a transformative experience that nourishes your mind, body, and soul. So, take a deep breath, trust yourself, and embark on the retreat that feels right for you.
Contact me if you have any questions or to customize your experience.
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