Taking time for yourself is a necessity, not a luxury, and so we all reserve the right to do it once in a while without feeling bad about ourselves. On this list are ten of my favorite ways to unwind after a particularly stressful week!
1. Yoga and exercise
I know, I know – at the top of every list of what to do in your free time or what to do when you’re stressed is to exercise or practice yoga.
Surely you went out to buy a yoga mat in the summer of 2020, put on a Chloe Ting abs workout video and found you could barely breathe less than halfway through the exercise, while Chloe she -even didn’t have a single hair out of place. You also certainly think it’s too specific not to come from personal experience – and you’d be 100% right.
However, my personal fitness issues have little to do with this article. Exercising and doing yoga, aside from the obvious physical benefits, also improves mental health, focus, and sleep while increasing motivation. After finally catching my breath and getting up from lying on the floor and staring at the ceiling, I felt great; and I’m sure you will too.
Starting and maintaining your habits are definitely some of the hardest parts of these activities, but trust me, it’s worth it. All you have to do is get up, put on some great workout gear, grab a bottle of water, and get started. For great yoga inspiration and motivation, follow:
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2. Logging
Journaling is a great way to release your emotions and track your growth over time. Different types of journals – gratitude, bullet, etc. – and journaling habits suit different types of people. So whether it’s short points, simple sentences, or pages and pages of words, as long as it makes you feel even a little less stressed, keep it up!
I’m definitely one of those people who watched with envy as others beautifully design their bullet journals, but I had no idea how I could do it myself. So if you’re like me, you’d want to check out this awesome site to start one: How to Create a Bullet Journal When You’re Not Artistic | Slap Dash Mom.
3. Spa day
Everyone needs to be pampered from time to time. So light those candles, put on some relaxing music, and do whatever makes you feel like royalty – whether that’s exfoliating, doing your nails, putting on a face or hair mask, or taking the most relaxing bubble bath. all time.
Once you’re done, you’re sure to feel de-stressed, refreshed, and totally motivated to tackle whatever comes next! For great home spa essentials, check out How to Host a Spa Day at Home: 29 Do-It-Yourself Spa Ideas | Charm.
4. Be crafty
Inside of you there is an artist you don’t know. — Rumi
Being shrewd actually improves your mind’s productivity while simultaneously reducing stress. I don’t know about you, but it sounds like a win-win.
Arts and crafts come in many forms like drawing, painting, pottery, sewing, embroidery, etc. So even if you don’t feel like the next Picasso, you’re sure to find something artistic that suits you and your skill set.
Personally, I’m not the most artistic person in the world, that’s why I really like painting by numbers. You might even find a slightly unusual craft to adopt in 10 popular types of crafts to inspire you | Vocabulary of craftsmanship.
5. Cook or Bake
From preparing the simplest desserts to the grandest meals, as long as it takes a modicum of concentration, cooking and baking can actually have many rewards, in addition to your end product, well. sure. It increases productivity, improves focus, and is a perfect example of how hard work pays off.
At some point, you may have been tempted to try a new recipe, realized you were missing a single ingredient or device, and couldn’t find the motivation to go out and get it. At Quick and Easy Recipes – BBC Good Food, you might find your perfect recipe among the many provided. And, for delicious culinary inspirations and delicious recipes, check out:
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6. Take a scenic walk
Taking a scenic walk does not require heavy physical exertion, but it does help improve our mood, relieve stress, and increase creativity. For many people, myself included, there is so much beauty in doing what we do every day. It gives us a chance to reflect or quiet our thoughts and simply have time for ourselves.
However, both due to the pandemic and the threats that existed even before it emerged, it presents possible dangers, especially when carried out at night.
If you do decide to go out for a walk, make sure at least one person knows where you will be, that you will be walking in a familiar place, and that you will stay hydrated. For more information on the benefits of walking and safety tips, visit 10 Benefits of Walking, plus Safety Tips and more (healthline.com).
7. Meditate
“Meditation is not about stopping thoughts, but recognizing that we are more than our thoughts and feelings.” —Ariana Huffington
In one way or another, we have all heard of the Calm app. Maybe it was through Instagram ads, or maybe Harry Styles once voiced a session. I can indeed tell you that I downloaded the app myself and bought a monthly subscription (and listened to the Harry Styles session). However, Calm is not the only way to meditate.
If you want your meditations guided or monitored, apps like Aura and Headspace or YouTube channels like Goodful provide exactly what you need. If you meditate correctly and regularly, you are sure to reap its benefits such as stress and anxiety relief; promote self-awareness, self-love and self-acceptance while improving blood pressure and attention span.
LeBron James, Oprah Winfrey, Paul McCartney, Steve Jobs, and Kristen Bell are just a few famous meditators who have all attested to her awards. Meditation is the perfect way to start or end your day and it’s a great way to calm down when you’re stressed. For more information or tips on meditation, see https://www.mindful.org/how-to-meditate-3/, and for regular mindfulness posts, see:
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8. Organize an indoor concert
It might be an odd addition to the list, but sometimes we all just need to blast some music, pull out a hairbrush microphone, and do a dance around our bedroom that we would never do. in public – à la Taylor Swift. Even though we sing each other’s words, songs are a great way to release our emotions, express ourselves, and feel 100% like a main character. Hosting an indoor concert will help you ease your worries and just be happy to be alive, making it one of my favorite things on this list!
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9. Dreaming of the future
If you’re ever stressed out about something that’s due to happen in a few hours or something bad that happened a few days ago, thinking about the distant future can do wonders to ease our worries. This can take the form of designing vision boards, creating bucket lists, writing letters to your future self, or even just staring out the window and daydreaming. By imagining a time when you are at your best, when you are perfectly happy and at ease, and when you have achieved the goals you are working towards today, it can greatly increase your motivation; allowing you to calm down or ignore past failures.
10. Have a Cozy Day or Movie Night
Last but not least, another great self-care idea when you’ve had a stressful week is to simply close the curtains, turn on the air conditioning, grab some popcorn or ice cream, snuggle up in your clothes, and comfiest blankets and put on your favorite movie or TV show. And, you shouldn’t feel a single ounce of guilt about it!
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