7 Ways to Relax During a Busy Day

June 16, 2013 3:38 pm / Posted in

So let’s review what you probably know about fitness:

1) You should eat healthy. Check.

2) You should exercise regularly at a level that’s right for you. Check.

3) Lose weight fast programs and fad diet don’t work well. Check.

4) Take a trip to a salon. What?

It’s true. Taking a trip to a salon, or any relaxing activity for that matter, is a great way to improve your overall fitness levels – especially when it’s done along with those other activities on the list.

The problem is that people – especially busy people – struggle to find the time to really relax and so miss out on the incredible fitness benefits of this (in)activity.

You might say that you watch TV or spend an hour on Facebook everyday, but unfortunately that doesn’t count. Electronic stimulation is still stimulation!

So, today I’m going to talk to you about 7 simple ways you can relax during a busy day.

Relax Your Way to Fitness?

Ever notice how your best ideas come to you when you’re not looking for them – in the shower, the bathroom, when you’re doing the dishes? That’s because when you’re relaxed, you enjoy improved mental clarity and focus, which in turn boosts your problem solving skills.

But relaxation is about more than just the mind. It also does wonders for your body, including:

  • Lowering your blood pressure and heart rate;
  • Fights inflammation;
  • Boosts your immune system; and
  • Improves your sleep.

7 Ways to Relax During a Busy Day

With all those benefits, who wouldn’t want to take an additional 20-minutes a day to unwind? Here are 7 ways you can make that time without upsetting your day.

1. Take Your Dog for a Walk

As you might already know, pet ownership already has a number of great emotional health benefits, but if you own a dog, you have an additional advantage: you can enjoy the health benefits of taking a relaxing walk with your furry friend every day.

 

How to use this tip to relax during a busy day: Take a little bit of a longer walk.

2. Do Something for You

I wasn’t kidding when I suggested you take a day trip to the salon, or get your nails done in order to relax. Taking time out to focus on yourself is a great way to lower your blood pressure.

How to use this tip to relax during a busy day: Get your hair washed by your stylist before getting it cut.

3. Have a Drink

Now you don’t want to overdo this one, but it can work if you can fit it in. I’m talking about having one glass of wine or beer, a couple times a week (and no more). This only counts as relaxation if you’re that drink enjoying it slowly and mindfully, not if you’re doing jello shots and playing flip-cup at the sorority house.

How to use this tip to relax during a busy day: Take 20 minutes after coming back from work to unwind on your patio, or at your kitchen table.

4. Listen to Relaxing Music

What I consider relaxing music might be different from what you do, but I’m sure we can agree that heavy and speed metal don’t count. By relaxing music, I mean something that you could put in the background without it taking a sideways turn mid-song and startling you. Generally this is slower music with a predictable tempo.

How to use this tip to relax during a busy day: Play the radio before going to bed. If you have the technology, set your radio on a timer to turn off after twenty minutes.

5. Sing to Your Favourite Song

Here’s my apology to the heavy metal fans. Feel free to play your favourite songs out loud and sing along to it. Doesn’t matter if you don’t know the words, just pretend. The act of singing competes with “anxious breathing,” which means your body spends less energy worrying and spends more energy getting your rock on.

How to use this tip to relax during a busy day: Ever notice how your voice sounds better in the shower? Time to sing!

6. Cook an Easy Meal, Slowly

Big elaborate meals can be quite the production, but you can probably cook one or two simple, healthy meals with your eyes closed and this is a great way to relax during a busy day. The act of producing this simple meal a little more slowly and thinking about each step helps slow down your thought processes and lowers your blood pressure. Just like you can eat mindfully, you can cook mindfully as well.

How to use this tip to relax during a busy day: Take a meal that you normally have time to prepare, and add an additional 5 minutes to the preparation time.

7. Spend Relaxing Time with Someone Special

Nothing helps you relax during a busy day like spending a little more time with someone you care about. Whether that person is a friend, a partner or a child, the time you spend with someone you care about is one of the best things you can do for your mental and emotional health. FYI: taking the time to play with your kids, while relaxing, also counts as a form of active recovery, and is great for the off workout days..

How to use this tip to relax during a busy day: Set a time to turn off all electronic devices and spend a little more time with someone you care about.

Of course you can also meditate if you can find the time. Without getting into all the mysticism around meditation, I will tell you why you should do it, and how you can integrate it into your daily habits.

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