What a world we live in. These last few months have been a doozy and 2020 doesn’t seem likely to slow down the curveballs. Between lockdown leaving so many people cooped up or unemployed, BLM making obvious the brutality and injustices that have always been there, and the social media onslaught of too much information and feelings I am exhausted.
It is important to remember to take care of yourself in trying times and this is no different. Making space for your own feelings and sanity needs to be a priority no matter what’s going on in your life. Below are some tried and true ways that I find to be relaxing. I hope some of these work for you.
Family Time
- With everyone so busy all the time it is difficult to make space to get together with your family. However, now more than ever, we need to feel connected to those who we’ve always leaned on for comfort. For me, this means video chatting with my sister while I feed my daughter lunch or texting my mom random things through out the day so we can feel a part of each other’s lives while we cannot meet in person. This means taking the time to play with my daughter or watch her as she discovers this world.
Husband Time
- Finding time for connection is especially important with your partner. Since River was born we have spent loads of time together and yet no time together. We have started date night in order to reconnect and it has gone so well. Sure, we cannot hire a babysitter and go out for now but we can cuddle up on the couch together once our daughter is in bed. Sometimes we read, watch t.v., or play games. Sometimes we just talk about everything going on in our minds. Healthy relationships start with communication and we have made that a pillar of who we are as a couple.
Social Time
- Thankfully for me, my closest friends are already long distance so we have just kept up our routine of video chatting regularly. Netflix Party has been an awesome addition to our lives as well. Watching a show together and starting a book club has kept us connected over mutual interests when we don’t have our normal lives going on.
Me Time
- Hi, new mom here. Me-time is invaluable. There are several ways I decompress that highly suggest. Once a week I pamper myself. Sometimes this is after River has gone to bed, sometimes this is a time where my husband keeps an eye on her. For me, pampering means lighting a candle and taking a nice, long bath where I can read a book or a hot shower where I can scrub and just get myself feeling squeaky clean.
- Finding time to be creative is also essential. Sometimes this means experimenting with baking. Sometimes this means pulling out my acrylics and getting some paints on canvas. Taking the time to work emotions out through art always manages to clear my mind and it makes for some interesting outcomes.
- This is an obvious one but exercise is imperative in keeping stress levels down. On days that feel really good I might get a run in or some strength training. On bad days I may only do yoga or take a walk around the block.
- Indulging in your guilty pleasures is also a great idea when you need to relax. For me, this often means watching some trashy television or reading some fanfiction. I don’t think there is any shame in doing what feels good to you. Every once in a while I will play video games but that one always leads me to staying up too late and being extra tired the next day. It’s all about balance and knowing your priority when picking an activity.
This list definitely has more than four ideas. I hope you can find something that works for you. This life we live is starting to look like the new normal so finding ways to cope is more important now then ever before. It is looking to be a long year so the more tools in your arsenal for relaxation the better.
Do you do the things I list here or do you have your own methods for relaxing?
Share what you do to relax and reduce stress.
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