You might already have a wild weekend of raving & boozing & getting sweaty on the dance floor planned. If that’s you, keep doing what you’re doing you crazy cat. I salute you.
But perhaps not. Maybe you’re in the same boat as me and you’re craving some time to regroup, re-energise and relax.
I’ve actually just whizzed away from work at 12pm to do just that. And this, my friends, is how it’s going down.
Grab your PJs. Light a candle. Take note, give this a whirl.
DO NOTHING & DUVET DAY IT
‘Doing nothing‘ is waaaaay easier than it sounds.
If I have a spare few hours, I often end up scheduling things in last minute ’cause ‘doing nothing‘ just isn’t in my nature. I then wonder why the hell I’m pooped out by Sunday evening. Um, because I’m a maniac that won’t wind down, that’s why.
But listen up folks – the harder you work, the harder you must relax. It’s a question of balance. Your well being should be your number 1 priority.
DON’T make plans for every hour of your weekend
DO block space out in your diary for you time
DON’T be ashamed to wrap yourself up in a duvet and hide away for a few hours. Make a duvet fort and don’t let anyone in. Lols.
DO give your body & mind a real rest. Not a fake one.
TECHNOLOGY OFF
You may think you’re relaxing. You may think you’re kicking back. But let’s do a little check. If you’ve got an iphone in one hand scrolling a million miles an hour through your FB feed and a laptop in the other googling ‘how to wash clothes without shrinking them’, the chances are you’re probably not relaxing.
We’re all guilty of it. I’m the worst offender. But the truth is, your brain is in overdrive. It’s being bamboozled with information. So if you truly want to switch off for a while, then switch it all off.
Forget about the world for a few hours. Believe me, the human race wont crash if you don’t post that LOL cat video on FB or if you don’t tweet about how you did a really ace jog this morning.
And don’t you think it’s a bit ridiculous posting about how flippin’ ‘relaxed ‘ you are when actually you’re high wired into your social media channels?
Turn off for a few hours.
I’m actually really keen to do a ‘technology detox’ on a longer scale, but gosh it scares the crap outa me.
DO switch off your phone and maybe pop it in a drawer for a bit
DON’T be tempted to log into FB or Twitter or Insta. You ain’t missing out. Trust me
DO pick up a book instead. A great tool to relax. I’m just finishing ‘A Girl on a Train’ and yes mate, it’s ace
COLOUR IN
If, like me, you find it difficult to ‘do nothing‘ then listen up – here’s an activity for you.
If I plonk myself in front of a TV, I feel sluggish and lazy like I haven’t achieved anything. Enter my adult colouring book; the perfect distraction from life and the ideal relaxation tool.
There is nothing more satisfying than completing a page of complicated colouring. It takes just enough concentration to distract you from ‘real worries‘ and you’ll soon be completely consumed by which colour combination you should go with to complete the willow tree that you won’t even think about tuning into the TV. Yup, serene.
DO find yourself a colouring book that appeals to you. Like hello to this sexy little Harry Potter colouring book, you look fun
DON’T try and complete the whole thing in an hour. It’s not a race. Relax.
DO stay between the lines *winky face*
EAT WELL & DRINK TEAPIGS
So many people, me included, make the mistake of considering ‘relaxing‘ as eating a shit ton of bad food.
Don’t get me wrong, there is a certain appeal and unwinding aspect to inhaling a Chinese take away and scoffing a tub of Ben & Jerrys. Oh crispy beef, you cheeky, yummy thing you.
But here’s the thing; you won’t feel better for it, you’ll feel worse.
If you really want to relax and take time out to re-energise yourself then consider getting some goodness into your body. Make a smoothie. Try an exciting, new salad. Heck, drink a lire of coconut water & eat a bowl of kale. You’ll feel bloomin’ marvellious, apparently.
But fo’ real. Don’t spend the day comfort eating and then wondering why you feel bloated and tired. Spend the day focusing on what your body really needs to repair itself. Oh man I sound so wanky, but it’s so true.
Oh and drink Teapigs. Because basically nothing is more relaxing than a cuppa of this stuff.
DO buy in some healthy supplies (think blueberries, salad ingredients and coconut water which we all want to taste like heaven but kinda tastes funny y’know?)
DON’T be tempted to eat frozen pizzas and chips and crisps. You will regret it. Probably.
DO drink plenty of water, hot or cold. This will help you feel sunshiney
NAP UNTIL YOUR HEARTS CONTENT
You may think settling down for a nap is counter productive for your day, but it can in fact be the opposite.
Only when you’re sleeping can your body and mind start restoring itself. Your muscles begin the process of repairing, it can alter your mood and reduce stress.
Oh and sleep makes you pretty doesn’t it? So there’s that.
So yeah it’s all fun and games rocking out until 4am every Friday & Saturday night, but you’ll soon start to see the consequences.
Never underestimate the value of sleeping. Get some beauty sleep ladies, your body and wellbeing will thank you for it.
DO listen to your body. If you’re tired, grab a blanket. You know what to do
DON’T end up watching reruns of Jezza Kyle instead of sleeping. Turn the TV off
I hope you all have lovely restful weekends full of napping & kale consumption.
Ironically, I’m out tonight and attending a blogger event tomorrow. But I’ll be on the ‘relax wagon’ on Sunday, promise.
Happy weekend vibes all