You don't have to do all the things....really, you don't
As you scroll social media, you may notice that people are learning a new language, becoming TikTok famous, baking banana bread, giving themselves haircuts, starting a small business, writing an ebook, and generally just doing the most. If you want to do this stuff, and it relaxes you, go for it. If not, give yourself permission to just relax. You might feel pressured to “make the most of it” or “take this opportunity to learn something new”. It’s a global fucking pandemic. You don’t have to do anything other than wash your hands, stay at home, and not touch your face. And honestly, some days even that is a lot. Not to mention, you are trying to balance your new way of having to do work and life with less support and outlets than normal. It’s OK to give yourself a break. Scratch that. It’s more than OK, it’s actually necessary.
Here are a few things that you can do with your time instead of doing all the things.
Take a walk. Notice I didn’t say jog, run, marathon, triathlon, or any other four-letter words. I am talking about a relaxing walk where you notice the trees blooming and the birds chirping. Ok, that sounds like a Disney movie but you get the idea.
Take a bath. For some of us that are more than a little Type-A, sitting still for that long is comparable to a root canal. I get it, it’s hard to slow down. Put on some music, light a candle, and just try to relax.
Journal. It feels good to get things out of your head and on to paper. Try not to get caught up with it looking perfect or having a certain structure. Write a poem or a song. Add a doodle. Draw a mandala. Express yourself however you like.
Do a brain dump. This is especially helpful before bed. Write a list of things you want to get done tomorrow (rather than thinking about them forever while trying to go to sleep). Again, just getting things out of your head can be calming. It doesn’t mean they are gone, but now that you wrote them down you free up the mental energy used to remember them.
Unplug. Ok, just hear me out. I’m not saying you have to give up all modern technology, I’m just suggesting you have times when you are disconnected from social media and news. You may start with something small, like not scrolling social media for the hour before bed. Not having constant news and information in our face 24/7 makes it much easier to relax.
Distract yourself. I’m not suggesting that you live in denial of the current state of affairs, I’m simply suggestion you allow yourself a reprieve. Most libraries have magazines and books available digitally. Let yourself get lost in a breezy beach read or thumb through the latest issue of a magazine. Not everything has to be a dual-purpose. If you don’t learn anything intelligent from it, oh well, it gave you the opportunity to relax.
What’s your favorite way to relax and unwind? Which one of these would you be willing to try this week?