When was the last time you did nothing? We’re not talking about sitting watching telly. We’re talking about having some me time. Stopping sitting in a quiet place with a cup of tea admiring the view and drifting off, meditation on what really matters. Coming up with new plans, working out ways to fulfil your dreams.
Life today seems to be controlled by deadlines whether it’s, work, picking the children up from school, paying the bills on time. Then there’s the noise from all those time saving devices, everything bleeps, text messages, the washing machine, tumble drier, microwave. Not only are there not enough hours in the day but peace and quiet doesn’t seem to exist. Doing nothing seems to be a luxury nobody or very few people can afford.
We’ve all been told at various times we need to relax and have been shown articles that remind us that relaxation is very important for us mentally, physically and emotionally.
The Huffington Post says relaxing “protects your heart, lowers your risk of catching a cold, boosts your memory, lower’s your stroke risk, keeps you safe from depression, helps you make better decisions, keeps you slim, eases acne, will keep you in a good mood, and could slow breast cancer: While research on the effects of cancer growth are largely inconclusive, there is some evidence pointing toward the link between stress and breast cancer aggressiveness. Relaxing not only seems to delay the progression of the disease, but may also speed recovery.”
We have heard the benefits but how do we do we relax. It does come easier for some than others.
Life Hacker has some good tips it suggests:
“Keep a journal to think things out, boost your self-esteem, and also help you deal with stress in your life, even if you can’t directly act on them.”
Or
“schedule time to worry about things that are bothering you. Doing that kind of compartmentalizing could reduce overall stress and anxiety”
It also suggests
“Find activities that help you recharge, such as reading a book, going for a walk, or simply listening to music. Or take a brain-boosting power nap.”
Relaxation doesn’t have to be about something big it could just be a few minutes to yourself, reading a good book, just sitting in the garden watching the birds or watching the world go by with a coffee. Or our favourite, especially this time of year, a walk in the woods enjoying the autumn colours. The important thing though, whatever you choose is to make some time to relax regularly.
