You may have noticed I took a little break from blogging. I’ve not been so active on social media for the past couple of weeks either. I’m sure you understand the pressure of platforms like Instagram even if you’re not a blogger or an influencer yourself. The constant attempts to look our best don’t necessarily reflect the way we feel inside which is why having a break and taking things slow from time to time is essential.
It’s all in the simple things
Pouring myself a glass of wine (or juice if you don’t drink alcohol but come on), lighting a few candles and immersing myself in a good book are some of my favourite ways to switch off. I also love putting on my most comfortable sweater and listening to my favourite music. To me, wearing comfy women’s hoodies is the equivalent of a good yoga session but better. Because you just put the hoodie on and there’s no movement or action involved. Or if you don’t do yoga, imagine a nice hot bath. Well, not everyone has a bath in their flat but everyone can get a hoodie, right?
Keep yourself occupied with things you enjoy
There is a million ways to switch off and unwind. The most common ones being staying away from social media and spending time outdoors with friends. Do you remember the last time you were out in good company and completely forgot social media existed? I’m probably not the best example as I struggle with that myself. But don’t we all? Keeping yourself busy with things you enjoy and not feeling the need to shout about it on social media these days is an absolute luxury. My advice is to find people who make you forget about your phone and spend more time with them.
“Choose a job you love and you’ll never have to work a day in your life”
It’s true! Work is a huge part of our lives. It’s what takes up most of our time so it’s really important to do something we’re passionate about. Trust me, you don’t want to wake up one day and realise you’re not doing what you love and feel like you’re wasting your potential. I’ve been there and it’s the most draining feeling in the world. I spent three years of my life working in a full time job in retail. Don’t get me wrong, I met some amazing people, got to work with incredible brands and learned things that I would not have come across in any other industry. But the job itself was very repetitive and it was completely killing my entire creative energy. I was able to save money every month and had financial security but I barely had time to enjoy life.
Breaking it down
Right now I have three jobs but I don’t have an actual workplace because I work from home most of the time. The good thing is I have the benefit of managing my own schedule and being the boss of my own time. Right now, I’m writing this from the comfort of my bed and looking at the sun through the window, feeling the warm air and enjoying an iced latte. I can go out as soon as I have finished my work because being outside is also part of my work. Breaking down your full time job into a couple of part time jobs might possibly bring you the same kind of money every month and allow you to have a little more flexibility. Remote jobs are becoming increasingly popular too. It’s a good option if you think you can complete all your work without having someone to supervise you. Another alternative is to find a job that allows you to have a hobby. You’d be surprised at the amount of employers who support their employees with hobbies and understand the importance of side activities for productivity at work.
The reason I went into so much detail about work is because the majority of people feel the need to take a break because of work in particular. Sometimes we put too much on our plates and we find it hard to digest. The best thing is to enjoy what you do so you don’t feel the need to fun away from it.
Do you have your own ways and rituals that help you unwind?
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Michelle x
