6 Simple Ways to Unwind

Unwinding is something I've been thinking about lately.  Actually, as a whole I've been thinking about the idea of being busy and having a balanced life between work and rest.  Being busy does not equal productivity, and that's something I hadn't really realized before.  I can pretend that I'm being productive by doing a lot of things, but does that actually mean I'm getting closer to accomplishing my goals? ehhh....

So one thing I've found out is that when you actually work hard, work smart, you're gonna need to take some breaks.   Obviously it's important to keep the hustle going and stay busy, but there needs to be a fine line between work and rest. SO today I thought I'd round up a few ways I personally like to unwind after a busy day or week.  LET'S GO.

This one is something that I try to do every night before going to bed.  The whole idea of getting your thoughts together after a day of thinking about so many different and random things is honestly so helpful in getting your mind to just relax.  Think about how the day went, what you want tomorrow to be like, and what you can do to get there! Those are all super important things, and if we just go, go, go, we often miss the opportunity to think and give our minds a break. 

Now, maybe MAYBE I'm partial to this one, but I love to cook/bake (as you guys might know!), and I know this one is a huge stress-reliver for me.  When I'm baking, it almost just takes me into a different world.  It's just about you and the food you're making.  And if you're in the right mood, blasting your favorite music while doing this makes it 2034587349x better.  And honestly, don't worry about not being a Gordon Ramsay in cooking! Even using something like a boxed mix can be a huge time saver and still make you feel like you're putting the effort in.  :)

Progressive Muscle Relaxation is basically a exercise in which you tense one muscle group for a few seconds and then relax it.  You work your way through all the muscle groups, and then count backwards from 5 to 1 to bring your focus back to the present.  It's really a great way to relieve stress.  This chart has some more information on this if you're interested.  I've been doing this the past few nights before going to bed, and THIS IS HIGHLY HELPFUL.

This is also something I try to do before bed, but it can be done any time really.  Whether you're an extrovert or introvert, it's important to have some alone time every now and then.  One thing I do every morning is read my Bible because it makes my day go so much better AND gives me quiet space first thing in the morning.  When life gets especially stressed and busy, it's even more important to carve out that time to unwind (WITHOUT WIFI).  It's almost ingrained in us to just reach for our phone and scroll through the latest social media, but STOP.  Stop yourself and ask if this is really going to help you right now, or if it'll just make your mind go and go more.  And more often than not, it's so much better for our souls to have a break from constant internet scrolling.  (is it hard? yes. but is it worth it? yes. :'))

Just a little tip for those extra stressful days.  Tea is so calming and soothing, and I know it always is such a calming experience for me.

Brief physical activity is known to help beat stress.  When you're tense or anxious about something, moving around helps release that energy and calms you down.  I've been trying to make a practice of doing some form of exercise before bed every night, and I'm pretty sure that the nights I do it helps me sleep better overall. WHO EVEN KNEW.

SO tell me, what do you do to relax? Some weeks are just super crazy and stressful, and I believe it's really important to have a good system to relax and keep your mind and body stress-free.  *nods*  I know there are so many more things to do that I probably don't even know of, so let me know what you do to get rid of stress/relax in the comments!!

xx
autumn