Not everyone sinks into a chill-time that easily. Whether you’re feeling a little guilty, easily distracted, or even find yourself unwinding in the wrong way, this guide can hopefully help you be at peace with some well-deserved relaxation time.
Figure Out What Relaxes You
It’s hard to know how to spend your downtime. What relaxes one person might stress another one out, and forcing yourself into some “relaxation activity” is no one’s idea of fun. Pay attention to how you feel when you’re engaging in an activity. Does yoga calm your mind or does it make you feel impatient? Does watching a movie help you unwind or would you rather go for a nice long jog. The key question to ask yourself— do you feel relaxed as an outcome of that activity?
Make Rest Time Intentional
Commit to your rest time and try not to get sidetracked by the distractions online or around the house. Break the “half-rest” tendency and immerse yourself in something that fully relaxes you. When we’re semi-engaged in several activities, our attention is split. This is a recipe for an unrestful day.
Set a Time
Not scheduling things tends to result in impulsive decisions. While it’s great to have some spontaneity in life, a well-earned rest that you’ve been waiting for can sometimes feel far more rewarding. Putting your relaxation time aside is also a great tool to take control of your time. If you feel you need to spend a day binging TV shows, give that to yourself.
Don’t Pressure Yourself
While a day of rest can be great, it might not turn out to be the magical transformation you hoped for. Putting all that pressure on your day could actually have the very opposite effect. Thinking about how to relax while relaxing can put quite the damper on things.
Go Easy On Yourself
Go into your rest with self-love, acceptance, and a sense of self-deserving. Guilting yourself and allowing negativity to creep into your mind is not conducive to “chilling out.”Remember, it’s important to have a good relationship with downtime.