On average, how many relaxing activities would you say you do each week?
If you find yourself feeling drained at the end of your day, you may need to prioritize some refresh and recharge time.
Running on empty can certainly catch up to you eventually – physically, mentally, and emotionally.
Life has its busy times, for sure. However, if you’ll take just a bit of time regularly to relax, you’ll just feel better. You’ll be more eager to face your days, rather than dread them. And, you’ll have more to give those you care about.
"You can't pour from an empty cup."
You've probably heard this saying - and for good reason! It means exactly what it sounds like - when you have nothing left in your tank, you have nothing left to give, whether to yourself or to others.
Self-care (Or refilling your cup) doesn't have to be difficult, or take a lot of time from your already busy days. But even adding a few relaxing activities into your day or week can make a huge difference to your overall energy and stress levels.
While you engage in these relaxing activities, from something as simple as taking a bath, using aromatherapy and going to bed early, take some time to check in with yourself. How do you feel, generally? What do you need? What is weighing on you, what do you feel proud of?
Treat yourself to a relaxing massage, as they are truly a wonderful investment. Along with feeling wonderful, your lymphatic system will be stimulated, which will help your body release toxins.
Pamper yourself in a relaxing bath. To set the “refresh mood”, light some candles and/or play some calm music. Or, enjoy peace and quiet. Use bath salts or essential oils too, as the aromas can help soothe you. Just sink into your warm bath, focus on full body relaxation, and enjoy peace and quiet.
You can boost your energy levels by adopting a healthy diet. If you’ve been off track lately with lots of sugary or unhealthy foods, cut them out and replace with nutritious foods. Start with a fresh fruit salad, or eating some fresh veggies. Drink lots of filtered water too.
Yoga can help you relax and recharge nicely. If you’re not sure how to do it, check out the many YouTube videos for various types of yoga. There are also community yoga classes you can attend if you prefer group activities.
There are plenty of essential oils that are known to help people feel relaxed and refreshed. Try lavender, pine, frankincense, rose, sage, patchouli, or lemon balm. You can diffuse the oil with a diffuser or apply them to your body. Note, however, that some oils must be mixed with a carrier oil before applied to the body.
It’s easy to get into the habit of staying up late watching television shows.
But over time, you tend to pay for this in terms of lack of adequate sleep. Not getting plenty of sleep can add stress to your life. It can also make for a grouchier version of yourself, so be sure you’re getting around eight hours of sleep each night.
Take a short time away to enjoy a vacation alone or with loved ones.
Head off into the mountains, find a beach, or enjoy somewhere that evokes calming and peaceful feelings. If you can’t spare a weekend timewise, just take one full day to leave the world behind to go off on an adventure.
Sure, You Take Care of Others, But How Well Do You Take Care of Yourself?
Do your best to practice mindfulness throughout your day.
This means staying aware of the present moment, rather than being preoccupied with the past or future. Focus on your breath moment by moment, as this will help calm your mind.
It’s easy to get so caught up in doing things you “have” to do in life, that you forget to actually do things that you truly enjoy.
Each day, do at least one thing that you LOVE to do. This will help balance you out when it comes to work vs. play.
Spending quality time with loved ones can boost your energy and mood.
Be sure you’re doing things with family and friends that you enjoy regularly.
Learning to quiet the mind can bring you much more peace and energy.
Take at least five minutes each day to sit quietly in meditation. When you can shut the world out and go within, you can calm your nervous system down nicely. You give your mind and body time to recharge.
If you can, meditate in the morning and a few minutes here or there throughout your day. It’ll make a difference.
If you’re not paying attention to your energy or stress levels, you may end up feeling burned out. It helps to take time daily for any type of relaxing activities to become mindful of how you’re doing, and to feel more refreshed in general.
Make it a habit to check in with yourself to see how your body feels. See how relaxed and refreshed you feel. Make daily relax and refresh time a habit. As you do, you’ll be more apt to go about your days feeling more peaceful, happier, relaxed, and energized.
Editor's note: This article was originally published October 30, 2020, and has been updated to provide additional information on the topic.
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