Relaxation – Not As Easy As It Sounds
Just taking the time to simply read through this article for some of us may be a challenge. We know that we want to relax, and that we need at some point in time, to just simply sit down or lay down and simply unwind. Relax and recover from the stress of work, school and maybe those personal challenges. Here’s what!!! Just pause for 5 seconds, take a deep breath and do absolutely nothing… 5… 4… 3… 2…1….
So! How did you do?
Sometimes it is a bit easier to talk it than to actually do it… Here’s what we can do…
Add It Into Your To-Do List
We all have that To-Do list, whether formally or informally. A myriad of tasks that have to be completed by a specific time. All of those chores and obligations that must get done, otherwise we are ruined. I am sure that this sounds familiar. Here’s what you can do – is to place within the list of things to get done a moment or event time – for you to simply relax.
This should also be guilt free – as you deserve the mental space. Some persons have made this act of relaxation be one of just sitting there and focus on breathing and not thinking about what is next. Futher to this others have taken the moment whether it be a 10 or 15 minute block to go for a walk and have a change of scenery.
One key reason the moment to unwind and do nothing and think of nothing is that many times when we return to the scope of projects on hand, there is a freshness and at times we see solutions of problems from a different angle and perspective. This may be an added advantage, and we all have had moments when we have walked away from a difficult matter and just taking a break away from the space for a bit has helped. This can be your guilt free reason.
Scrolling To Relax
We mentioned taking a stroll away from the current space and have a change of scenery as one way to unwind. Some others may not have the ability to do such, while others may tend to other means to relax. In some instances this can take the form of taking to scrolling through X or IG or various social media platforms.
Now some may consider this mindless scrolling, and it has happened that if we are not careful, significant time may be lost just watching reels or status updates. What can be done to ensure that too much time is not lost on the scrolling is to set an alarm which goes off as a trigger to stop the browsing and get back to our primary task.
Just be very mindful that scrolling on social media may work for some persons, but it is not a one-size-fits all solution.
Do You Have A Hobby?
At times we feel the need to fill the space with some form of activity.
This is where a hobby can come in to help us relax. This is one way quite a few persons use to clear their minds and relax their bodies. The action of doing a favourite hobby, act to distract us from the worries for a little while.
Just mentioning this will easily bring to mind some examples such as yoga, or dancing, painting or playing a board game or even knitting. At times we may enjoy this so much, that the act of getting back to the task at hand may seem dreadful, and a mood killer.
Taking up a hobby can also be used as a motivator and something to look forward to, when we are dealing with our daily tasks.
What’s Your Hobby?
The act of relaxation may be a hobby today, while tomorrow it may be simply sitting in one position quietly, meditating or even doing breathing exercises. The flexibility is that it can change based on what we may need to do at that moment in time. The ideal path is to work toward the outcome and results which we want to acheive, being aware that it is dependent on you, and where you are at that moment.
What must be done is some form of evaluation. Consider asking yourself after the period of relaxation, “How do I feel now that I’ve completed this act? Do I feel a bit more at ease? Do I feel refreshed? Am I feeling mentally prepared and ready to take charge? Additionally, there is really no right or wrong. What can be done is that it be simply taken in small steps.
Remember the crazy pace that things are going at today, you may just need a 30 second block to close your eyes and do a few deep breaths, just to get started. Maybe you might want to drag a friend along who may just need the break away for a little bit.
