Relaxing after work can be hard. Winding down can be tough to do and this can cause anxiety and stress. These tips will help you do so and remain more chilled out.
Schedule Your Downtime
You need to make downtime your goal and take the time to schedule it into your daily routine. You could look at something that is easy to schedule in such as 5 minutes of doing nothing after work. You also need to schedule any planned activities such as exercise and play or date nights. A goal you might want to consider setting is to have 3 to 5 relaxing activities scheduled into your work week.
Disconnect
Regardless of what you choose to do to relax, it can be hard to unwind when you are still thinking about the work you have to do. This is why the first thing you should do as soon as you leave the office is to turn off your work phone. You need to avoid bringing your work home with you and this is the first step. You deserve to have some time for yourself or time with your family without work, particularly after you have put in all your energy and hard work into the day at the office.
Take A Warm Shower Or Bath
One of the best ways to relax and move away from work is to wash away the tension from the office. Water has a very calming effect on your mind and the soul. You should try taking a nice warm shower after work as this will help your muscles relax. You should follow this with a splash of cold water to energize the cells in the body.
If you have a bathtub, you should try a warm bath. Light up some aromatic candles and soak in warm water with Epsom salts. Of course, you should never forget to moisturize after a long soak as you do not want to dry out.
Indoor Water Features
An indoor water feature can be very relaxing and really help you relax and a lot of people are purchasing them with this in mind nowadays. Placing them close to the area where they chill out after work, many find, really helps.
Unwind With Some Exercise
Exercise is a great way to work off some of the stress you have from the office. Exercise will also release endorphins and this will make you happier. Regular exercise has also been found to make you more energetic in the long-term and will increase your overall happiness. Joining a sports team is an idea you should consider as they have a social element to them, but if you prefer to exercise alone a good playlist can help keep you company.
Get Out Of The House
You need to have a change of scenery after being locked up in an office all day and this will help you relax. If the weather is good, you should try getting outside and you do not have to go further than your garden. Just breathing in some fresh air is good for you and being surrounded by greenery will let your mind drift away from the office.
Relax With Music
You can always find some peace and relaxation with some soothing tunes. The music that you listen to has a bigger influence on your mood than you might imagine. To help you calm down, you should avoid any loud and fast genres of music as they will generally aggravate you more and could cause more tension. Slower music that prompts you to close your eyes and breathe along will help reduce your heartbeat and this will help you calm down after work.
Read A Book
Sometimes the best way to get away from the chaos and stress of your day is to slip into another world. There is research that suggests a part of your brain which feels empathy gets a workout when you read fiction. If you want to unwind, you should look at reading something with a powerful character or a positive situation. If you are not an keen reader, you can opt for an episode of 2 of your favorite TV show or turn to an audiobook.
Have Company
Some people like to be alone at the end of the day as solitude helps them to relax. However, there are other people who find company diverting and will enjoy having people around them. If you need a distraction, focus your attention on a friend or family member.
Meditate
You do not have to sit in the lotus position and hum to meditate. There are a lot of people who find formal meditation to be a great way to relieve their stress and find peace. There are other people who find sitting in a comfortable chair with a heated eye mask to be the best way to meditate. You can find a lot of podcasts out there that can help you with meditation.
Sleep Tight
There is no better way to restore your energy after work than a good night’s sleep. This is actually something that many people find challenging, but you can set this up by going to be early. Ensure that your bedroom is a place that you only sleep in.