Life Doesn’t Often Let You Relax

Between work, school, errands, and all the other trappings of daily living, chances are you could use some time to just unwind. Don’t let stress rule the day. Check out these 10 simple ways to relax and take some time for yourself.

Drink Something Soothing

Tea has long been the drink of choice when it comes to soothing the body and mind. Choose something herbal and without caffeine. Chamomile, lavender, or decaffeinated green tea are all good choices.

Read

disappear into a good book. Adventure to a faraway land, live in a fantasy world, solve a deep mystery. Books allow us to experience lives we might never be able to otherwise.

Color

Adult coloring books are all the rage these days, and for good reason. The gentle concentration required by the activity can sooth away a day’s stress.

Meditate

Sometimes we need permission – even from ourselves – to STOP thinking, worrying, or stressing over things in life. Give yourself a break for a few minutes or a few hours. The world will be waiting where you left it.

Do Some Yoga

Find a candle-lit yoga class or a relaxation-focused one (or create your own in your livingroom). Leave the complicated poses for another day (unless you find them calming!) and focus on breathing, being, and relaxing.

Listen to Music

Soothing music can sooth the soul. Choose your favorite songs or listen to nighttime forest noises or crashing waves.

Take a Bath

A hot tub is soothing, but many of us have tubs in our homes that can be transformed into our own personal oasis. It may be cliché, but how many of us actually do it? Light some candles, scent the tub with fresh lavender, and relax.

Be a Kid Again

Build a fort in your Livingroom, camp in your back yard just because you can, swing on the swings at the playground, paint a mural on your own wall. Why not? Free yourself to be creative and leave the stressful adult world behind you for a few hours.

Get Outside

Nature its self can be a calming presence. Go for a walk in your neighborhood, picnic at a local park, even hike up a mountain. Allow yourself to hear the sounds of birdsong, feel a cool breeze on your face, and get some vitamin D.

Unplug

The constant attention that social media or online games often requires can be exhausting in ways we may not even realize. When was the last time you went even a few hours without checking your phone or email? Give yourself some time off from technology – even a few hours. You may find it more freeing than you think!

Save