Sometimes life can be a lot. And when that happens, you can feel overwhelmed and any small thing that wouldn't normally be an issue seems like the biggest problem humanity has ever faced. When that happens, it's usually a sign that you need to take a break. So listen to your body and if you feel like you need a break, take some time for yourself. Whether it's just for an hour or an entire weekend, your body and mind will thank you. So here are a few tips I have for when you need a break from things.
Take a break from social media
Social media is known to not be the best for our mental health, especially when we're not in a good place. So have a social media detox - or even a tech detox! Just put your phone on silent, leave it in another room and don't look at it for a few hours. I often catch myself scrolling through social media a lot. So when I catch myself scrolling for no reason, I remind myself to do something useful instead - work on my Spanish on Duolingo for example! Whenever you catch yourself mindlessly scrolling, leave the app and do something that will benefit you more.
If you feel anxious about missing an important call (like there's an emergency and someone is desperately trying to reach you) - I literally can't sleep with my phone on airplane mode anymore because I am so paranoid - put it on "do not disturb". That's what it's called on iPhones but I'm sure there's something similar on Android. Make sure you go into your settings and allow calls. This will stop notifications from popping up on your screen but will allow for calls to come through. I have just tested it and it works for normal calls, WhatsApp calls and calls on Messenger!
Make your space comfortable
Light a candle, put on some cosy clothes, play your favourite music or whatever makes you feel comfortable. It is so important for you to have a safe space you can go back to and unwind in. If you don't really feel like you have one, create it for yourself. You could make it your bed, a corner in your room, an area in your living room or your windowsill, wherever you feel at ease. Make it your space by bringing in elements that make you happy and relaxed: candles, pillows, blankets, fairy lights, plants, books, photos, music albums, instruments... the list is literally endless. Do you have a safe space? If the answer is no, choose a spot right now and spend the next couple of days making it comfortable.
Work on your hobbies
Take some time off and spend it on your hobbies. Whip out your paintbrushes, get your camera out, tend to your plants, dance your heart out to your favourite tunes, learn a new language, go for a hike... Taking some time to do things that you enjoy, things that are for you, will enable you to decompress and channel your energy into something that makes you feel better.
Read a book
Reading is a good way to get out of your mind and to focus on something else. Reading a physical book is also a great way to have a tech detox. It will rest your eyes immensely. Doing so before bed especially is one of the best ways to fall asleep faster. As you have probably heard by now, the light from your phone keeps you up. So instead, grab a book and feel your eyes get heavier and your body go into sleep-mode with each word that you read.
Meditate
I can not stress enough (no pun intended) how good meditation is for you. There are different kinds of exercises and all of them might not work for you. Try different ones and see what works best. I find that breathing exercises help me the most. Meditating is just a way to get out of your head and into your body. It helps make the chatter in your head less overwhelming. There are many resources online and if you would like more info, I go into more detail about meditation in my post about anxiety.
Cook something from scratch
There is nothing like cooking a meal from scratch. And although I am really not the best cook - to the point where I once put cinnamon into a vegetable soup instead of "curcuma" (turmeric in French) - it is a lovely feeling to be eating something that you made yourself. Put on a movie, a show or music, choose a recipe and enjoy making it and then eating it. Don't be upset if it's not a success, pat yourself on the back for cooking something from scratch, and then make yourself a bowl of pasta. If you can't make a bowl of pasta though, there's nothing I can do for you, pal.
Pamper yourself
Take some time to take care of yourself physically. Do some exercise or yoga, take a bath, pluck your eyebrows, shave your legs, do a hair/face mask, go for a massage, anything that will be beneficial for your body.
Go to bed early
If you need to take some time for yourself, chances are you are feeling mentally or physically drained. So getting a good night of sleep will be really good for you. Go to bed early with a cup of herbal tea and a good book. Or even better, create a nighttime routine for yourself and wake up feeling more rested and refreshed, ready for the day ahead!
So here it is, my post about taking time for yourself. You might have noticed that I didn't upload last week or been very active for a while. Well, I was following my own advice (for once, lol) and actually taking time out. I'm starting to feel a lot better already and I really hope that some of these tips will help you out when you are feeling overwhelmed and stressed. To be honest, I feel like this post is a little different than others because I'm not 100% feeling like myself. So excuse me on that. Thank you for reading so far anyway and I look forward to seeing you soon!
Yours truly,