Want to know a secret? I’ve had the most stressful few weeks ever, and this week will be no different. EEK. We’re officially going into MOVING WEEK now, and this Saturday marks the day. I’m hoping by Sunday, I’ll have a drink in my hand, in our new home, and be CHILLED AF.
However in the meantime, I’ve had to find ways to chill myself out before I implode. And I reckon I’m getting better at it y’know, even when times are testing! (And
So I thought today I’d put together a little list of things that have helped me chill out lately, or all time fave methods, and I’m hoping it’ll help you guys too. So sit back, pour yourself a cuppa, pop on some Dido, or whale music… or whatever, and let me fill you in.
1. Stay away from all social media.
Obvious? Well, that’s for good reason. Social media can be amazing, it’s no secret, I love it! However I like to compare it to chocolate cake. Definitely a gorgeous treat, but too much of it? SICKLY. It’ll drain you if you let it. Scrolling for hours on end, watching people moan and argue, or watching people show off their perfect lives, will always leave you feeling a bit ‘mehh’. Switch off as often as possible. Hide your phone, go for a walk, read a book, paint – anything but browsing Twitter again! Your brain needs a rest from a constant snowball of information and conversation. Be okay with being really alone, and having quiet time. I did this last week, and it was SO good for me. Once I’d scheduled all my tweets, I stayed off Twitter and deleted the app for THREE DAYS. This is a huge deal for me, and I was so grateful for it. I’ll be trying to take these breaks more often.
2. Let someone else take care of you.
Does anyone else find this SO hard?? I will gladly let myself burn out and cry and sob and become a mess before I even speak up and go, ‘Oh hey, any chance you could help me with this? I’m struggling.’ I constantly tell people I’m fine even when I’m not, as I don’t want to trouble them. But guys, lemme tell ya how good it feels when you give in and ask. SO DAMN GOOD! I have a good bunch of people in my life and when I do let others take care of me, even if it’s just helping in a small way; it feels like such a huge, amazing thing. And usually, they’re glad to help! Even if it’s just getting your partner to brush your hair, run you a bath, or make you a hot chocolate (ahem, thank you Gary!), it can make a huge difference to your well-being.
3. Keep busy with something meaningless.
As much as binge watching Greys Anatomy is great, there are so many other things that chill me out more than watching my favourite TV show. I love small, menial tasks that keep me ‘busy’ but calm me right down. Organising all my makeup, clearing out old clothes, cleaning out the fridge; as boring as they all sound, it totally helps me. I’m a non-stop sort of person, so sitting back and doing nothing is almost impossible for me. But if I need to chill out, these small, insignificant tasks do just the trick needed.
4. Stop caring what people think.
I thoroughly believe a good portion of my internal pressure and stress, comes from me worrying about what other people think. Am I not completing this work quick enough for this client? Will people like this design? Am I good enough? Do I match up to others? This starts a bad cycle of overworking myself, worrying, letting pressure build up, and then crashing. All because I’m not just focusing on my wants and needs, but that of others. Okay, I’m not saying I shouldn’t EVER care about others, duh. I’m just saying I shouldn’t let it control me like this. If you’re like this too, then we need to make some changes friend. Refer to step 1 (get off social media!), have clear deadlines in place with clients (if that affects you) and only worry about what YOU love creating. Do it for yourself, and it’ll be perfect anyway.
5. Bring joy into every part of your life.
As I mentioned a moment ago, don’t worry about what others love. Do what you love! Start focusing on small things, like what you wear. Does it bring you joy? (Marie Kondo was onto something there). Stop doing things for the sake of it, and try to squeeze joy out of every single moment you can! Don’t save things for a special occasion, be brave, take chances, try new hobbies, take the scenic route, notice how much you smile and laugh. Celebrating every little moment is awesome, and slowing down to appreciate the little things will help you chill out when you really need to.
6. Have a special night with someone.
Whether it’s your partner, or BFF; make a night of it by getting away and chilling out together. I recently went on a night out with my friends, and rather than all go our separate ways at the end of the night, we stayed in a local Travelodge* together. Grown up slumber party at it’s finest! There are Travelodge discount codes available, so take advantage and give yourself a fun mini night away.
7. Get more sleep.
Half the time I swear most of my problems can be solved by a good night’s sleep. Listen to your body and give it what it needs. Hell, indulge in extra sleep if you like! It’s such a bad habit that a lot of us do, by not giving ourselves enough sleep, and it can damage so much. Problems nearly always seem better in the morning, so head to bed early and you’ll rise feeling way more zen.
8. Slow down.
Try to spend at least one day a week really slowing down, and allowing yourself a day off. Even if you have things you want to do; try to keep your plans at a minimum, and allow for lots of free time to ‘see how the mood takes you‘. Sundays are perfect for this, as a lot of the world seems to slow down on this day too. Take a long walk, pamper yourself, visit your Mum. Whatever you might choose to do, let’s leave the emails/to-do lists, and deadlines for another day, eh?
How do you guys chill out, when life gets a little hectic?
Leave a Comment
You must be logged in to post a comment.