How to relax during stormy circumstances
It is amazing how busy we are in a typical week. Work, commute, kids, meals, sports, church, chores, exercise, shopping, cleaning, fixing, reading, homework, favors, dates, study, more work, classes, projects, cooking, paying bills, appointments, socializing, Twitter, Facebook, and the list go on and on and on. It is a recipe for a perfect storm with no forecast for calm in sight.
Do you know how to relax? Not just crashing on the couch a couple of hours before bed, I mean taking the time to relax and restore your body, mind, and soul every day.
We all love and look forward to the 1-week vacation where we can pack, cook, clean, buy, plan, drive or fly to a place where we can “relax.” Those 1-2 weeks per year are great. We recharge just enough to get back to the daily grind. Bass Pro Shops is full of people dreaming and planning their next big adventure for a vacation or weekend. Dreaming is incredible, and I love this part of life; however, there are things we can do to relax when we get back to “normal life.”
Do these ten things to relax during stormy circumstances.
- Take a coffee break. Starbucks thrives on the “break” we take during a hectic day. Slowing down just enough to smell, sip and enjoy a cup of coffee is a good thing. Brewing coffee at home and work is a great financial decision leaving Starbucks for the occasional break. Just be smart and don’t let a $5.00 per day habit cause additional stress in your life.
- Prayer. Find a calm, quiet, peaceful place to pray. If you believe in God, spend time talking to Him about your day. Your Creator has the user’s manual for your life. Scripture and prayer give us rest, peace, purpose, and restoration.
- Enjoy a Meal. Sometimes the drive-thru bag in the passenger seat is necessary as you drive from place to place in a hurry. However, it is great when you can schedule enough time to eat slowly in a beautiful dining room or on a bench at a park with a lake, ducks, and some trees! Eat with family and friends and talk with cell phones turned off.
- Read a good book. Hopefully, you have a comfortable chair and take the time to sit and read. Add coffee and time to sit and reflect on what you just read. You will begin to feel some stress leave and some relaxation begin to set in.
- Take a 10-minute nap. I cannot do this because my naps turn into sleeping for hours. I can’t nap for 10 minutes, but I know many people who can swear it is excellent for renewal during a busy day.
- Take a walk for 20-30 minutes. Walking is good for your heart, releases stress, and allows you to think as you walk. Think about the next task, problem, or opportunity, and walking will help you focus. Do it every day, and you may drop a pound or two per week.
- Talk to a friend. Get with a friend and have a conversation. Have coffee, a meal, or sit somewhere. Talk on the phone, in person, or FaceTime on your phone. Just take the time to do it, and you will feel more relaxed during a stormy day.
- Write in a journal. Write your thoughts, your goals, and your concerns. Write down what you learned that day. Write your prayers down on paper, or write down what is on your mind. Keep it private and look back on past entries to see how you have changed or grown over time.
- Laugh out Loud. Get the family together and watch a movie that makes you laugh out loud. Laughter is excellent, so have fun and be silly once in a while. Laughter is good medicine, and it is free. Make someone laugh and help make their day.
- Exercise with intensity and then rest. Be very active, break a sweat, and work hard. Then make sure you take time to rest. Get enough sleep which for most people is 7-9 hours.
How to Overcome being Overwhelmed
Have you ever been overwhelmed? Has the “to-do list” grown into a giant ugly monster devouring every spare moment? There are seasons where things pile up, and there is more to do than hours in the day to get it all done. Here are some things that might help.
Prioritize. Easier said than done, especially when everything seems to be an A1 priority with nothing that can go on the back burner. Usually, when we take a step back and look at everything, there are things we can put off until tomorrow or next week. Sometimes it is necessary to say no to some things to focus on better things.
Delegate. If you have a support staff, team, friends, or family, ask for help! Give the right person the right task and let them handle it. Please give them a big sincere thank you and move forward. We cannot do everything on our own, and it is more fun to work with others.
Plan. Take the time to plan your day, week, and year. Be prepared to be flexible with the process and rigid on your goals. Get a map you can read and follow it. Only take detours when the road is blocked. Make sure the detour gets you back on track to your planned destination.
Eliminate Busy Work. Do everything in your power to do truly productive things. Productive might be making a sale, and something important could be having coffee with someone to build a relationship. Realize both kinds of actions are critical to you and those around you. The main thing is to keep the main thing, the main thing.
Rest, Think and Reset. You can do nothing well if you are burned out or worn out. Take time to rest, think and reset when necessary—thinking things through is productive, especially if it prevents mistakes or wrong moves.
To your success.
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