10 Ways to Take a Break
My husband was gone last week on a trip for business. Meaning I was a single mom for a few days. And as any single parent will attest, you get a whole lot of kid caring time and not a lot of personal time to relax. And I definitely needed this last week! Actually I need it on a daily basis. I find that if I take an hour or so in my room to just recharge, my kids just play together and then I come out ready to take them on again.
But everyone finds different ways to relax, so here are 10 suggestions. These might seem a bit obvious, but these are what work for me–10 ways to take a break!
1. Lock yourself away with a snack and a TV show. This is my go-to for a quick recharge. I love hanging out in my bedroom with my electric blanket, a snack, and my latest show binge. It always seems to happen right before I pick up my kids from school, around 3 pm. It’s actually the perfect time for a snack–especially one that has some good protein and carb combos for energy and sustainability.
I wanted to try a new snack that had a bit of sweetness and some protein, so I tried the Chobani Flip Greek Yogurt. I bought four flavors: Almond Coco Loco, Key Lime Crumble, Salted Caramel Crunch, and Chocolate Haze Craze. I was super excited to try them! They come with some mix-ins that you just flip over and mix into the yogurt.
I tried the Salted Caramel yesterday and it was awesome…and smelled so good! Even after I was done and the empty container was next to me (cause when you are relaxing you don’t get up to throw away your container right away) and it made my whole room smell like a scented candle. And I felt better knowing that Chobani never uses preservatives, artificial ingredients, or artificial sweeteners.
2. Go for a walk: The other day I was in a terrible mood and I couldn’t snap out of it. So I decided to get all the kids and walk to the park. It totally helped, to just get out of my house and into the fresh air. And of course the park is always terrific for the kids.
3. Take a bath: I don’t actually love to take baths but my husband loves them. They relax his muscles so much and he’ll stay in there for hours. He’ll watch a show on the iPad and just sit in the warm water.
4. Work on a hobby: I also don’t really find this relaxing because my hobbies are now my career. But for so many of you who don’t usually have time to sew or play music or shoot some photos, getting your creative juices flowing is just the thing to take your mind off other issues.
5. Do yardwork: This sounds like a job, but I enjoy getting out and getting dirty in the yard. There are certain jobs I don’t mind, like weeding or weedwacking. I like making it look pretty and admiring my work after. And feeling like I also got a workout and maybe a tan. And you know that the spouse will appreciate YOU doing the yardwork so much that he/she will be happy to stay inside with the kids and other noise.
6. Read a book: I never pick up physical books but I go through lots of audio books. And actually I can be very productive when I listen to them. So I can do the dishes AND relax at the same time! I love escaping into another world and forgetting my own whatever for awhile.
7. Exercise: This isn’t what everyone would think of at first, but working up a sweat and getting those endorphins are such an awesome way to feel better and stretch those stressed muscles. I love running one day and doing yoga the next. If I don’t exercise for a week or two, I start feeling a lot more stiff and cranky.
8. Go for a drive: Sometimes my 3-year-old daughter will only fall asleep in the car and most of the time she really, really needs a nap. So sometimes to get a break I will get us in the car and drive around the lake. It’s beautiful and relaxing and she always falls asleep.
9. Take a nap: Clearly. Get more sleep, feel better. Done.
10. Buy fresh flowers: This isn’t necessarily the most relaxing activity, but every time you see those bright, beautiful flowers in your house, you will get that little burst of pleasure that comes from flowers. Particularly during a bad weather period…like how it rained all week last week. I really could have used some tulips like these.
Wow, just reading this post makes me want to try all these things and then maybe I will feel super awesome. Or maybe just one thing a day. I know that I need to take the time to take a break each day to help me be the best version of myself.
Disclosure: This post was sponsored by Chobani through their partnership with POPSUGAR Select. While I was compensated to write a post about Chobani Flip Greek Yogurt, all opinions are my own.
