Modern life is incredibly hectic. Between working, socialising and doing the minimum to keep yourself alive, it’s understandable that you might neglect to look after yourself on a higher level. Lowering your stress levels is an essential part of self-care and one that’s often neglected.
Most people don’t make enough time to do the things they enjoy. Ignoring the things that make you happy can quickly force you to operate in a ‘survival mode’, where you only concentrate on your basic needs, and nothing beyond that. This in turn can have a negative impact on your mental health and make it harder to find joy in the little things.
Below are some of my favourite ways to unwind at the end of a busy week.
Go for a long walk in nature
Exercise is often praised for its ability to wipe out stress, but nature also has that effect. Taking a long walk in a beautiful area full or greenery will help melt away the stresses of modern life and release those tensions you’ve been building up all week.
Have a Takeaway
Give yourself the night off from cooking and order in a takeaway. The responsibility of feeding a family can be a real stressor, so letting someone else cook and bring your dinner to you is a huge treat. Having the food in the comfort of your own home can be more fun than going out. There’s no rush to get ready, no need to make reservations and no pressure to find transport in case you want a glass of wine with your meal.
Play some games
I love playing games from free games to casinos online. Whether I’m on the family’s Nintendo Switch, or playing that daft dinosaur game you get when your browser has no internet, I love playing games.
They don’t need to be modern or expensive. You could set up your old Super Nintendo and enjoy some Super Marioworld nostalgia. Or if you don’t have a games console, you can play free puzzles online too. I’m partial to a bit of Mahjong, though I rarely win!
If I want to spice it up a little, I play real money pokies online and hope I win! I say ‘hope I win’ because for me, it’s pure chance, but my husband is really quite skilled, so he makes more expert decisions than me!
Partake in a hobby
Either look into a new hobby, or pick up an old one. I like to crochet, but only bother with it in the winter. I associate yarn arts with being cosy, and the summer is just too hot to be working on a blanket. I often pick up new interests along the way too. I’ve recently started trying to learn digital illustration. I’m an alright artist when it comes to pencil and paper, but my lack of digital skill means I’m bad at digital art! I spend a lot of time on YouTube watching other people draw, and I’m hoping my skills will improve one day, but until then I’m enjoying learning.