Life is so busy and hectic at the moment. Many of us are trying to juggle family life and work life, whilst we are being put under increasing financial stress. So its more important than ever to find a little time for some self care, to switch off, relax and reset from time to time. The time we have available to us though can often only be a few minutes at a time, so its important to find small ways to carve out some peace for ourselves.
Here are 5 ways I like to get a few minutes peace when life starts getting on top of me.
1. READ A BOOK
Reading is the perfect way for your to relax at the end of a busy day. It’s great for mental health and can allow you a little escapism from your general day to day life. It’s a great habit to build in to your day, even if you only manage to grab a few minutes here or there each day. You can chose to read a physical book, a kindle book on an ereader or on your phone, or even an audio book! Plus its a hobby that doesn’t have to cost a lot with free kindle books available often, library books, second hand books or simply borrowing books from friends and family.
2. LISTEN TO A PODCAST
There are so so many podcasts out there, on every topic you can possibly think of. So whether you just want to listed to a humorous podcast, a podcast intended for relaxation or meditation, or a podcast about a subjected you are interested in, you will be sure to find something that will suit on Spotify. Some are just a few minutes long (daily podcasts are often shorter) or you can find ones that are an hour long (almost a mini radio documentary) so you can either listen in one sitting or dip in and out as and when you need to. They are perfect for allowing you to have some mental time to yourself.
3. PLAY AN ONLINE GAME
Sometimes if I just wanted a 5-10 minute switch off I find playing a game on my phone or laptop can be a great way to focus on something other than life. Im no serious gamer so I like games I can dip in and out of easily and that aren’t complicated, maybe just do a quick round or level at a time. If I’m on my phone I’m a big fan of Disney Emoji Blitz. Or if I am on my laptop I usually hop onto a site like Plays.org, I like their selection of old school Arcade Games (Ahoy Pirate adventure, Dino Bubbles and Brick Out are my go to usually) and the game Two Dots, which I remember being popular a year or 2 ago!
4. GO FOR WALK/SIT IN YOUR GARDEN
Getting out of your usual living space can be the best way to allow yourself time to relax and reset mentally. Sometimes going for a walk isn’t always an option, you may not have much time, or you may not live someone nice to walk around, so just taking 5 minutes for yourself in your garden can be a great alternative. Make a cuppa and just sit in your garden for a few minutes to yourself, wrap up cozy if its chilly or sit under a sun shade if its a bit wet. The fresh air and change of scenery will do you a world of good
5. TAKE A BATH OR LONG SHOWER
It’s such a simple one, but one you will often see mentioned when people talk about self love/self care. Just taking a little time to pamper yourself, your physical body, can be hugely beneficial to help your body really rest and relax. Your body will often hold tension when you are feeling stressed, even without you really knowing it reacts to your metal state. A hot peaceful bath will help release any tense muscles in your body, giving you a physical release of your stresses.
