Take A Bye & Get Some Rest
In sports, a bye refers to a period when a team or player would normally compete but for one reason or another does not have to in this case. It is a time to rest, recoup, and reset. It is a time to prepare.
In life, we need to do the same thing. We need to rest. By taking time to rest, we are actually taking time to be better. Better for ourselves, and better for others. We are recognizing our own limitations, and we all have them.
Recognize Your Limits
I’m going to use myself as an example. This morning I went to take my dogs outside. Now, we live in a basement apartment, so to take my dogs out I have to go up a flight of stairs. I have 2 little dogs, Min Pins to be exact. So they get crazy and love to get underfoot. That is exactly what happened this morning. As I was walking up the stairs, on of my dogs ran up and down the stairs and got tangled in my legs. This caused me to stumble and my knee buckled. Rather that allowing myself to fall to my knee, and possibly fall down half a flight of stairs, I did a funny twist and my lower back ended up seizing, causing massive amounts of pain.
Was it enough to send me running to the Emergency Room, no. But it was enough for me to recognize that my body is getting older and I need to take it easy. So, that is exactly what I am doing today. I have football going on the television, I have dinner in the Insta-Pot, and I am relaxing. Why am I doing this? Because I know what will happen if I don’t…I will be in immense amounts of pain trying to work throughout the week.
Find A Way To Relax
Now, finding a way to relax can be easier said than done. I know in my own life, when I have a day off work, I usually have to spend it getting things done. I have to go to the grocery store, get the laundry done, everything that I can’t do while I am at work. So, how do you do everything and still have time to relax? This answer is going to suck…but you don’t. Sometimes, you need to let the laundry just set there. You may want to order pizza for dinner rather than going to the store and cooking dinner. It’s all a matter of making yourself as much of a priority as everything else. Here are a few things that I do to take that time for myself…
Take A Nap
When we were little, how man of us actually looked forward to nap time? As parents, how many of us have fought with our children to get them to take a nap? Naps force us to pause and reset…and lets face it, that’s not always fun.
I don’t know about anyone else, but I know for a fact that I don’t get enough sleep during the week. At 5:45 AM, my alarm goes off every day so I can make it to work by 7 AM. I work until 4 PM at my regular job, plus while I am at work I am usually crocheting blankets for my ministry. Then I fight traffic for 30 minutes to get home, take the dogs out, make dinner, and crochet more blankets, or work on blog stuff.
I usually lay down right around 8:30 or 9 PM, but I try to stay awake so that I can see my husband when he gets home from work (he works evening so we don’t see a whole lot of each other). So, by the time I truly fall asleep, it’s usually around 11 PM or so. Then I get up and do the same thing the next day.
All of that being said, when I have the opportunity to take a nap, I jump on it. I will be honest, I feel the same way about sleeping in. For me, a nap means that I get to catch up on some sleep. So, I get into my comfy jammies, I crawl under my blankets with my dogs and sometimes my husband if he is off work, put on my sleep playlist, and relax. While I may wake up groggy, because I admittedly sleep longer that most experts would recommend, I always feel better the next day and I feel like I am more productive.
Go For A Drive
I don’t get to do this as often as I would like to, simply because of time. But, I absolutely love just getting in the car with my husband and driving. Now, I’m not talking about driving in the city, that is extremely stressful. I’m talking about taking a drive out into the middle of nowhere. Getting away from the hustle and bustle of everything, getting away from the traffic, and enjoying the moment.
For me, it isn’t actually about driving, but rather about just being away from everything and it being peaceful. There is no packing or making reservations involved, like you have with a vacation or weekend trip. You don’t have to worry about any animals that you have at home, because you are usually only gone for a few hours at most. It’s just a moment to clear your head from all the mental chaos that we all deal with.
Spa Time
This is my favorite way to get some R & R. Sitting in the pedicure chair with the massage function turned on…I’m there every chance I get. Then there is the massage table. Now, I don’t get the hot oil massage, I tried that once and there was nothing relaxing about that for me. But, you put me on that massage table fully clothed with a towel over me and I will fall asleep. Seriously, my husband has had to wake me up because I was snoring.
Another great way to do this is to make a spa at home. Take a milk bath with candles and soft music, maybe add a glass of wine. You will find yourself relaxed and rejuvenated without spending a whole lot of money to do it.
Join My Conversation
Not everyone will relax the same way, but I encourage you to find a way to rest that works for you. Rest your body, mind, and soul. You will find that you are both happier and healthier. What are your favorite ways to relax? I may want to give them a shot…
