We all want to relax. Unfortunately, it’s not always easy. When I asked people what they did to relax, they told me that they meditate, read, listen to music, exercise, and watch TV. For most of us, our preferred way of relaxing is by engaging in one of those activities. But which one should you choose? In this post, I will share with you the top ten best ways to relax.
I’m a big fan of being relaxed and being able to focus. When I’m focused, I’m able to get things done and do them well. For a long time, my relaxation strategy was to drink coffee or tea. However, I’ve recently discovered that I can be more relaxed via a quiet time activity, but what sort of things do I mean?
Examples of quiet activities include reading, writing, meditating, gardening and creative activities such as drawing and pottery. These activities help us to relax and unwind from our daily stresses.
They’re great because they give you a break from thinking about work, family, or problems and instead focus the mind on something totally different, often becoming a form of escapism.
Here are 10 quiet activities to try to calm the mind, relax the body, and create a tranquil atmosphere. Each is a simple activity that doesn’t involve screen time and can be done for a short or long period of time.
Listen to Relaxing Music
There is a reason why music has been around for so long. It can really take us back in time, and help us feel like we’re somewhere else. It can also make us feel good if we’re listening to it alone. So, if you’re feeling stressed out, why not put on some relaxing music?
Music is a great way to relax when you don’t want to do anything else. There are lots of different types of music. You can also listen to soothing, slow music to help you unwind. Just make sure you turn your phone off and get away from others to be able to fully enjoy your music!
Read a Book
A good book will provide a relaxing environment to escape from the daily demands of life. Make sure to read a book that’s totally unrelated to your job, it could be fiction or non-fiction, the important thing is that you take the time to focus fully on reading.
I suggest setting aside a specific time of day to read. This will help you to focus on the task at hand and will help you to complete the book. Personally I read every night before going to sleep, I find the act of reading calms my mind, and I’m very glad I’ve a Kindle as I often wake up with it on the bed having drifted off to sleep mid-chapter!
Take a Walk
It may sound weird, but taking a walk can be an effective way to help you relax. It’s one of the best ways to get some fresh air and some exercise at the same time.
Walking around a local park will give you the quiet you need, or maybe even a lovely natural background soundtrack of birds singing. It’s a great way to clear your mind and take some time to think. If you’re stressed out, take a walk and see what happens.
Listen to Nature Sounds
You don’t need to go for a walk to listen to nature sounds, you’ll find lots of tracks available online (YouTube, Spotify etc).
If you’ve ever taken a trip to a spa, then you’ve probably already noticed how relaxing it is to listen to nature sounds. The soothing, rhythmic, and repetitive nature of nature sounds calms your nerves.
Just as humans naturally fall asleep to the rhythm of a gentle stream or the sound of waves lapping against the shore, listening to nature sounds helps induce relaxation.
Spending Time with Pets
Do you like animals? If so, then the next time you find yourself in a situation where you need to relax, consider spending some time with your favourite furry friend. Not only will you benefit from the stress relief, but the animal will too.
You can combine spending time with your pet with other activities on the list. For example, talking a dog for a walk or just sitting quietly with a cat on your lap.
Take a Nap
To help you achieve some rest and relaxation when the need for it is great, you can have a nap. If you have a bed, this is easy. A pillow is all you require. If you don’t have a bed, just find a comfortable chair to sleep in or sofa to sleep on.
Just before you fall asleep, close your eyes and think about what you’d like to accomplish or how you’d like to improve today, it’s like giving you brain the command to work on the problem while you have a nap.
Try not to worry about the day’s tasks and plans, just a simple thought about something you’d like to achieve and then focus on relaxing. The idea is to slow down and let yourself drift off.
A power nap can leave you feeling reinvigorated, and it’s like hitting reset on your day, start again with a clean slate.
Do Some Gardening
Gardening is a great way to relax and decompress for so many reasons. You perform it outside, it’s physical exercise, it requires you to focus and concentrate on the task in hand and the resulting beautiful garden is very rewarding.
When you have a few hours to dedicate to your garden, you will feel more relaxed, have more energy, and will be a happier person overall.
Gardening is one of the best hobbies for relaxation and stress reduction, and it’s very easy to incorporate into your lifestyle.
Meditation
What makes meditation unique is the fact that it doesn’t have to be a ritualized event that takes place in a particular setting. You can meditate while cooking, showering, or driving. Meditation doesn’t require a lot of time, but it does require intention. If you’re looking for a more practical approach to relaxation, meditation can be an effective way to take a break and recharge your energy. It’s also a great skill to master if you want to be able to fall asleep at night without any effort.
Get creative
Painting a picture, sketching, drawing, pottery or any other creative activity can be very relaxing and very rewarding.
If you are feeling stressed out or have been feeling anxious lately, creative activities can be an excellent way to take a break from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.
They are a great way to focus your mind, they present you with a challenge, and they provide a sense of accomplishment when your work has been completed.
Can Quiet Activities Help with Relaxation at Home?
Finding time for relaxing at home difficulties? Quiet activities can be a perfect solution. Engaging in gentle activities like reading, coloring, or meditation can help ease stress and promote relaxation. Creating a tranquil environment and dedicating quiet time for oneself can make a big difference in overall well-being.
Build a Lego set
For children, Lego is an amazing pass time that the imagination to fuel a focused creative session. For adults, Lego is more often seen as a deadly trap, laid out across the floor waiting to cause lots of pain when stepped on!
However, in truth, Lego caters for people of all ages. Sitting down with a complex build can be a fantastic quiet activity, one you can do on your own or as part of family quality time.
In conclusion, I would say that most of the people who are stressed out have a tendency to focus on what they can’t control. And there’s nothing wrong with that. There are some things in life that you can’t control, like your job, the weather, the fact that your parents or your partner could die at any time, etc.
But for the most part, we live in a world of relative control. We are in control of our day-to-day lives. We can decide whether we want to spend money or save it. We can choose to be more happy or less happy. We can decide to get up early or stay in bed late. We can decide whether we want to work in an office or work from home.
The reality is that we will never be completely free from stress and worry, so we need to learn to manage our them better, and taking time out for a quiet time activity can do just that, so that we can achieve more in life.
