Many of us feel like we’ve spent enough time at home this year! With lockdown ushering in a new era of everyone working from home, our humble abodes have become multi-purpose spaces where we work, rest and play; sometimes all in the same room, although hopefully not at the same time! Positives have come from lockdown. For one, many of us now have a new hobby or activity that we enjoy, whether that’s exercise, something creative or simply taking more care of our homes. However, experiencing all these things in a space that we usually use to unwind can have some side-effects for our stress levels and particularly our ability to relax. So de-stressing is important to help relax.
Don’t fear; there are plenty of ways we can enjoy these new versions of ourselves while also creating room to relax and unwind! If you want to bring more calm energy into your home, consider working these ideas into your daily life.
*This is a collaborative post.
Create a Relaxing Space
While it’s great to be able to live a busy life, you should look to contain it, somewhat. By creating a location in the home that is purely for relaxation, your mind can begin to learn when is best to unwind. For many of us, this will be the bedroom. In the early days of working from home, typing away on our laptops while lying on the bed was the ultimate luxury. However, that behaviour makes trying to sleep in the same space more challenging. Try to remove any work, exercise or other distractions from the bedroom to promote stressless feelings in the area. If that’s not possible, then just not working or eating from bed can be a positive step.
Make Some Me-Time
We mean genuine me-time. Not watching the latest show before bed or updating your social media, but a real, indulgent pause to your day where nothing needs to be achieved. Having a moment to detach from the rigours of our daily life is excellent for gaining perspective on any potential worries, allowing you to contain and manage any bubbling feelings of stress. How you enjoy your me-time is up to you and may depend on the time of day. After work, you may choose to enjoy a cup of tea or coffee. Before bed, a bubble bath or reading a book can be just the right thing. Many people also turn to creative activities like drawing, knitting, and music as a way to unwind and for de-stressing.
Deconstruct Your Stress
Stress is one of those things that, if not tackled, can build and get out of control. Your home should be somewhere where you can escape any worries you may have, but that can only be done if you allow yourself to be honest about your stress. Many people find that the best way to overcome stress is to take time to understand the cause. As this isn’t always clear, putting your feelings into a personal journal can help. Work a journey into your me-time to help understand any building feelings of anxiety, from which you can work out ways to overcome the problem.
Create a Positive Space
The ultimate antidote to de-stressing is positivity, and while this needs to come from within, it can be supported by a positive environment. While we don’t always realise it, we take a lot of mental cues from our space that influence how we feel. Think of every time you’ve come home from work and returned to a messy bedroom, and you get the idea!
To help turn your house or apartment into a calming home, try to keep it as clean as possible. Using scented candles and soft colours are just some ways of bringing more subtle positivity into your world, which will help if you ever struggle with sudden feelings of stress and anxiety.
Making sure your fridge is stocked with healthy foods is another way of promoting positive actions in your home. Doing this also stops us from turning towards unhealthy foods and drinks when we feel down, which can compound the problem. Many people have started taking CBD oil for stress, which can help support the body in reducing stress levels naturally. However, if you feel like your anxiety is having an impact on your daily life, don’t be afraid to seek professional help!
Hopefully, these tips will help you turn your home into a relaxing space for everyone and to be a de-stressing environment. If you have any other great ideas for relaxing at home, why not share them with our followers?
*Disclaimer – This is a collaborative post. This post has been pre-written.
