Lifestyle

Ways to Relax, Unplug and De-Stress

Do you struggle finding ways to relax, unplug and de-stress?

With so many things going on around us, it is easy to get caught up with work commitments, family responsibilities and social media. Being constantly in demand is hard work and stress becomes a factor in our daily lives.

Stress is the body trying to cope under pressure and it has many and varied health problems associated with it. I won’t go into details about the health risks involved but we need to look after ourselves. Our body and mental wellbeing are our primary concern.

Social media has taken the world by storm and we are becoming more and more addicted to it, whether we admit it or not. Some of us see it as a way to relax and unwind but actually it is quite consuming and involves work for the brain. What we need is to relax and give our brains a rest.

Always having a schedule is also demanding and even though I agree with having a planner or journal to make life easier, I don’t think we need to be setting goals, however realistic they seem – at all times. It can be stressful and disappointing if we don’t meet those goals and we need a break!

Giving yourself to too many people by lending your time to others all the time is another way to put pressure on yourself to be here, there and everywhere. Try to give yourself some ‘me time’ every day. It may sound unachievable but it is probably manageable in reality.

Here are my ways to relax, unplug and de-stress –

Make plans to have no plans. Everyone deserves some free time to themselves. There is nothing selfish about it whatsoever, it is a simple human need. It doesn’t mean being alone. It just means doing whatever you please, with no-one else to answer to. Once that is arranged, its time to relax.

Next up, find your comfy clothes, whatever you’re happy wearing casually or around the house such as a tracksuit, leggings, yoga pants, pyjamas, whatever. Once your body is comfy and you feel good in it, thats what matters.

Now to do whatever helps you relax the most. There are many and varied ways to relax such as :

Making a nice tea/coffee/hot chocolate and sitting in a comfy chair with a good book

Having a nice lunch with your favorite people and really enjoying the company and food

Aromatherapy – inhaling relaxing essential oil blends from a diffuser or oil burner to enhance your mood

Meditation/hypnosis really helps de-stress and unwind. A pair of decent headphones and a comfy chair and you’re set

Switching off any distractions, especially your phone and computer so you can really unplug

Do something therapeutic like a craft hobby/painting/potting plants

Talk to a good friend who you can share your troubles with and will listen and help you feel better

Put your feet up and binge-watch a great series or funny movie to escape for a while

Go for a nice stroll somewhere quiet and pretty where you will feel relaxed and revitalized

Go for a swim in a lake or the sea, it feels fantastic and totally refreshing

Run a nice bath and have some lovely products to make you feel pampered

Put on a face mask and grab some treats and a magazine. Works for me!

Put on some relaxing music and chill with some nice scented candles

Practice breathing techniques by breathing in slow deep breaths and exhaling slowly

Yoga, Tai Chi and pilates are helpful if you feel energized but want to wind down

Get a massage or have a spa day

girl meditating on yoga mat

The key thing is finding what works for you in terms of relaxation techniques. I suggest trying some of the above or taking up a craft hobby. There are so many available such as adult coloring books, creative lettering, scrapbooking, découpage, making dried flowers, fabric printing. The list goes on…

Once you have found what works for you, all you need to do is create time to focus on yourself, to relax, unplug and de-stress. Try to do this as often as you can manage for ultimate relaxation and to de-stress.

Remember to turn off your phone and computers and it is important to unplug from those to truly benefit from the techniques and practices as you probably know it would only distract you. Checking your status, replying to texts and checking on social media are going to take away from the relaxing experience so this is a must.

I recommend trying out this app for guided meditation. It is free to download from the main site, here. Headspace

You only have one life, enjoy it!

I would love to hear your feedback on this, so feel free to let me know how it goes or if you have any other tips for relaxing and de-stressing.

Namaste