You now have an official reason to take a break tomorrow and relax because it will be National Relaxation Day! Yayy! Only if it is even for just an hour!.... or more realistically for us mama's.... a few minutes! Tomorrow, August 15th is National Relaxation Day! So what's that mean for us busy mama's? I would love to tell you it's a day to kick back and do absolutely nothing, but since we are moms, and well, that is never possible, just plan to take a little time out for you tomorrow and relax, because YOU deserve it!
The stresses and the business of being a momobile taxi, running errands, cleaning, dishes, launrdy, picking up, cooking, being a professional mediator between our children, and everything else that we do as moms seemingly consumes us, every day of the year. Between being a mom, work, and a wifey, there never seems to be a day to just kick back and relax. For those us with a hectic lifestyle, Relaxation Day is a day to look forward to! It provides a short break from the craziness of your busy work and personal schedule. Tomorrow is the day to enjoy either doing absolutely nothing for 15 minutes, or enjoying your favorite relaxation activity like yoga, getting a pedicure, a massage, or a few of my favorites, relaxing in my hammock, and reading a Cosmopolitan on my deck.
In fact, National Relaxation Day is a great way to start incorporating relaxation and "Me" time into your lifestyle if you do not do so already. I make sure to schedule in some "Me" time almost every day because I do believe downtime is important and I notice a difference in the stressed me, which is less patient and gets easily annoyed at everything, vs. the un-stressed me (picture a smiling, happy house wife then picture Godzilla destroying a town....yeah... big difference). It may seem impossible with all you have on your plate, but taking time and making it a priority to de-stress and recharge is a good investment for your mind & body that pays off. A relaxed, physically and emotionally healthy person is a better mom and wife and can accomplish more than a stressed, exhausted version of herself.
If you would have told me to take time for myself and relax for a bit a few years ago, i would have laughed and said I have no time for that. I would even feel like a bad mom if I took time for myself because I knew of everything that still had to be done like the laundry, putting the dishes away and everything else. But that's not true, it does not make you a bad mom, and you can make time to relax, you just have to make it a priority!
My 'me" time and relaxation time is usually relaxing in my hammock and watching the clouds pass overhead or sitting out on my deck because it is like my own mini oasis. These two things are something that I can do at home anytime (weather permitting) and for as short or as long as i want, and it's free! But doing that for just 10 minutes melts lots of my stress and tension away and lets me recoup and get focused on whatever else lies ahead of me and my day.
If you are still trying to figure out when this is possible for you, here are a few ideas. Wake up 15 minutes before your kids normally do, or if you have young children, when your kids take a nap, or when your kids go to sleep at night take that 10 to 20 minutes to relax and unwind before going to bed.
So find out what you like and can do for yourself on a regular basis at home at least. It will benefit you as well as your family. Start tomorrow with making sure you make that "Me" time!
Top Ten Ideas To Enjoy On Relaxation Day:
Treat yourself to lunch (have it delivered or go out somewhere if you are able to)
Go to a Spa
Lounge around in a hammock
Take a bubble bath
Unplug. No phone, tv, computer, radio.
Go to the movies
Do a little gardening
Have a picnic in the park
Sit outside , drink a coffee, and read a magazine
Pray and read your Bible or devotional