What do I want to take home from my summer vacation? Time. The wonderful luxury of being at rest. The days when you shut down the mental machinery that keeps life on track and let life simply wander. The days when you stop planning, analyzing, thinking and just are.
Summer is my period of grace.
Ellen Goodman
R and R tip # 66: REST
Even though our summer vacations are a thing of the past, I hope that the break you were able to take left you refreshed for the work days ahead.
Relaxing days spent in the sunshine are over and fall brings some pretty stressful times for some of us. We have chores to do around the house to prepare for winter. We have many activities related to our jobs and to our families
Before we know it the holidays will be here and there is much to prepare in order to be ready for them too.
A good rest is half the work.
Proverb
What can we do to keep that sunny vacation feeling and realize that we don’t have to relinquish those delicious feelings of vacation
The biggest and most important part of vacation is feeling refreshed and relaxed. We took time to breath more and do less. Time to recognize what brings joy and what brings out the joy in our lives.
Today I'm sharing some tips on how to live every day of our lives as though we were on vacation.
Take at least one afternoon a week to throw your cell in a drawer and close that computer. Really lose track of time.
Change your to do lists into not do lists, as in, what would you like to free yourself from this week/month
Give your boudoir the hotel once-over and ditch everything that doesn’t say relaxation
Try talking to someone new every day. You don’t have to be ocean-side to say hello there and ask for a good lunch spot.
Slow down and celebrate the small stuff. Celebrate a great hair day, an inspiring conversation with a friend, finishing a book
Stay connected to nature. Do what you can to bring a little of nature’s positive perspective into your world
When you’re away from home, it’s easy to splurge on yourself. Return home, however, and you’ll list off reasons why you shouldn’t. I'm not advocating reckless spending, but there’s something satisfying about treating yourself every now and then. When you see something you want, balance splurging and practicality by putting a little money aside until you can justify the expense. Then spoil yourself a little.
Take the scenic route. It is too easy to get stuck in ruts. A little change in the way you drive to work or even do your chores can make a big difference. Take a right instead of a left. Explore. New scenery can be thrilling when you’re on vacation, but remember to enjoy the simple things when you’re back home, too. If you live in a picturesque area, take the time to get out and explore it
Learn to relax. Even through the simple act of breathing -- can have health benefits, Remembering to breathe in tense situations will also keep you calmer.
There’s a reason you often pack a pair of cross-trainers when you’re on vacation: You end up walking everywhere. We can all try to walk some more and refresh our routine.
Get more sleep. Try to get to bed a little earlier each weeknight and give yourself one weekend morning to sleep in an extra hour. Doing so gives your body the rest it requires and can help you feel less irritable and get over illnesses quicker. Getting an extra hour’s sleep also means fewer cups of coffee and caffeine side-effects, plus you’ll be more energized each day
The key to keeping that happiness lies in how relaxing the vacation was. Most vacationers, when they return from their trip, immediately report that their happiness levels fell to normal levels. The only vacationers who kept their feeling of happiness are those that reported their vacation as very relaxing. When vacation time is over, strive to add more pleasurable activities to your day. You don’t have to cut out the less thrilling ones, too, but doing at least one activity you enjoy daily will give you a break from the more stressful parts of your day.
Keep that vacation GLOW all year round with a little REST and RELAXATION.
See you all next week!
Love, Live, Laugh and Be Happy!
ma
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