A 30-Minute Stay-cation

A 30-Minute Stay-cation

Q: Like many women today, I feel overworked and stressed. My mother keeps telling me that I need to take a vacation, but that is just not possible right now (financially or otherwise)! Can you suggest some small ways that I can relieve stress at home?

A: Everyone needs a break every now and then – to relax their bodies and their minds. But, what happens if you can’t get away? There are some ways to help your body relax even in the confines of your own home. I’ll call these tips “mental vacations” – where you let your mind rest. Experiment with these techniques for ten to thirty minutes a day and you just might see the results!

  • Take a walk. If you can find the time, take a walk just for the sake of taking a walk. However, with a busy schedule, it is often hard to make time just for walking. Therefore, choose an errand that is close by and instead of driving and looking for parking, walk there. Take that time to allow your mind to rest.
  • Read a book in bed. Your bed is a safe, comfortable, and cozy place – this signals to your brain that it is time to slow down. To that end, get into bed fifteen minutes earlier than you want to go to sleep and curl up with that book that you have been meaning to read. This will help you to get lost in the world of the book – away from your own stressful life.
  • Drink a warm cup of coffee or tea. Sitting down to take time for yourself and enjoying the calm that a warm drink brings can help relax your mind. Try to find ten minutes in your day when you don’t have to drink your coffee on the run – instead sit at the table and enjoy!
  • Connect. Call a friend who you haven’t spoken to in a while (or one who you spoke to just yesterday) and talk about the good things in your life. Fill each other in on the mundane and sublime. Connecting with friends gets good neurotransmitters firing in the brain – helping you combat the stress in your life.

Your mother might be right – you might need a vacation. But, life doesn’t always work that way. So, use the techniques above to give yourself a mental vacation. You and your family will reap the benefits.

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