We know that creatives are the ultimate hustlers. You work at home, in your local coffee shop, when you’re traveling. You answer email and Instagram DMs before you crawl into bed and right before you crawl out. You get ideas for something new and drop everything to make that idea a reality. You are amazing!

The dedication that artists show to their craft and those who support them is the foundation of a successful community. But that dedication can also mean that you’re reluctant to take time away and have a real break, which can easily lead to burnout and frustration even when you completely love what you’re doing. You might worry that if you take a vacation that you will lose traction, fail your community, or be penalized by social media algorithms. We get it. Those are legitimate concerns. However, psychologists have found that taking a vacation not only relieves stress but helps you generate new ideas, increase productivity, creativity, and happiness. So, even when you don’t necessarily want a break, you need one. But, you don’t have to leave the country for a month to make that happen. Here are six quick tips for snagging a mini vacation without interrupting your community and creativity.

1. Unplug from social media (at least a little bit)

A great way to take a break without even leaving your home is by disconnecting from social media. However, deleting all your social media accounts isn’t the only way to take a break from constant alerts and direct messages. Just turning off your alerts and badges on your phone can make apps less demanding, letting you check them when you need to instead of constantly being harassed by alerts.

If you’re looking to truly go offline and not just turn off notifications, then try one of the many available post planning apps. That way, you can schedule your posts, deliver great content for your followers, and keep your feed algorithm friendly, while taking a break from having to post, engage, and create new content every single day.

2. Enjoy your own backyard

Summer is a great time to get to know where you live a little better by enjoying local and nearby attractions. Museums, concerts, farmers markets, fairs, the possibilities are endless! Also, read up on what’s available within a few hours of where you live and make it an overnight stay by finding an Airbnb or a great deal on a hotel nearby.Looking for another staycation hack? Visit a place you might think is out of season. For example, ski resorts offer great hiking and mountain biking during the summer.

3. Bring the vacation to you

If you had no obligations or responsibilities for two or three days what would you do? Invite friends over for a movie marathon? Try a new restaurant? Try a new workout, recipe, or creative writing prompt from one of your favorite creators? Why not do it all?Taking time off from home is also a great option, the catch is that you can’t let real life interrupt though. No cleaning, no laundry, no work email. Order dessert, sleep in, wander and find someplace new and interesting in your community. You can watch every episode of Tidying Up on Netflix if that’s what sparks joy for you, but don’t start the actual work until your mini vacation is done.

4. Take advantage of your flexible schedule

One of the perks of being your own boss is flexibility, so don’t think that your mini vacation has to be on a weekend. There are tons of benefits to weekday travel, including better prices and availability. Use a tool like Google Flights to find the least expensive airlines and dates to travel.This rule is true for bigger vacations, too. Cruises are always cheaper during hurricane season (June to November for most US-based cruises) so if you’re willing to risk an itinerary change or extra day at sea you can save a lot of money.Being able to book last minute for cruises and resorts is also a great way to have a vacation on a budget, so keep an eye on travel influencers who post deals and leverage your ability to work remotely.

5. Hit a conference or networking event

Your community is critical to your success as a creator, so why not get out there and meet some of them? Attending a conference or networking event is a great way to support fellow creators, meet your own patrons, and connect with potential supporters. Plus, combining travel with networking is a great way to be productive while also disconnecting from your daily grind.Not sure where to start? Check out this list Patreon’s conference picks for Summer and Fall this year. Don’t forget to let your community know where you’re headed so you can plan meetup opportunities and share content that they’re interested in before, after, and during the event.

6. Get inspired at a festival

Summer is the season of music festivals, a great combination of work and play for musicians. Much like a conference provides networking for writers and artists, a music festival can bring similar connections and opportunities for musicians. You can also gather lots of great material for blogs and social media posts and meet fans who could easily be fans of yours, too.While events like Summerfest, Lollapalooza, and Coachella are dream destinations for thousands of music fans there are plenty of other festivals out there waiting for you to discover them. Click here to see the six we’ve picked that are a great fit for creators this year.

No matter what you choose, we know you’ve got the creative skills to make the perfect mini vacation that’s right for you!