Take a break, it is your right. The COVID-19 pandemic has taken a toll on the physical, mental, and emotional aspects of people worldwide. From 2019 up to now, we are still wearing our masks, social distancing, and bearing the awareness that the virus is still out there. However, we found and continuously looked for ways and learned how to live accordingly.
To sum up, all these experiences made us realize to spend more time with our loved ones and try to take on a different approach, hence, to live life at a much slower and peaceful pace. Indeed, try to focus on what truly matters and adjust the definition of success. Thus, see if any of these ideas strike a chord for what you’d love more of in the year ahead.
After work hours. It is your right to set boundaries and say ‘no’ to busyness. There’s nothing quite like the feeling of opening your front door, dumping your bag and kicking off your shoes after a day out. What a great relief to have your evening in a relax state of mind after all the things you went through the day.
What you can do: From time to time, you should allow yourself to sit on the couch and flip through a cookbook, might as well turn off your WIFI and have all the time for yourself. In the same way, talk with your family members about how their day went. Afterward, you can enjoy cooking and eating a scrumptious meal together.
Sensory upload. “The more high-tech our lives become, the more nature we need to achieve natural balance.” This is according to Richard Louv in his book, The Nature Principle. It is undeniable that going out can be a bit overwhelming and tiresome that is why majority decided to spent their time indoors. But the benefits of taking in the sights and sounds of nature have been proved time and again by scientists. Being surrounded even just by trees helps lower blood pressure, heart rates, and cortisol levels. Time spent in nature is known to reduce stress, improve immune function and facilitate good sleep.
“The outdoor world can expand our senses and reignite a sense of awe and wonder not felt since we were children,” Louv writes. “Nature can help us feel fully alive.”
Streamlined living. Rushing is the new normal, but some of us know we are going to say no to that. Instead, we are looking to slow the pace and increase the enjoyment. Since time immemorial, people know it’s important to take a break.
What you can do: Streamline your day by reducing your wardrobe. Keep away the things you don’t need anymore. Doing so will cut down the clutter and free up a surprising amount of time on making decisions.
Nourish and nurture. If you think of your day as being broken up into thirds, what you’d like to prioritize becomes crystal clear. About eight hours is dedicated to sleep, eight more to work, and the rest is yours to do with what you will. It makes sense to spend as little of that time as possible on chores you don’t enjoy, and as much time as possible on taking care of yourself.
What you can do: Turn your chores into tasks that you actually enjoy. Cooking nourishing meals, for example, can become a time to unwind. Have a chat and get creative. Not convinced? Add wine and your favorite music.
Practice gratitude. We’re programmed to want to earn more each year, progress up the career ladder and acquire the things we desire. But don’t you think it’s nice that even just for this year, you take a breather and say, “I have enough; I am enough”?
It requires acceptance and being comfortable with your situation. It could be prioritizing your mental health. Maybe having a job that enables you to make your mortgage payments each month or simply having enough to eat. If you can count any of these things as blessings in your life, you’re doing better. Appreciate it. Take a break. You are enough.
Slowly does it. It can take practice to build breathing space into your life. The idea is to make downtime as appealing as possible. Don’t just take a bath; soak in an aromatic bubble bath with a candle or two and some ultrasoothing music by your side, or with an ice-cold beer, if that tickles your fancy. Whatever works.
What you can do: If you don’t have a bathtub, or if it’s not your thing, think about what else you could do that makes you slow down. Meditation, long walks, writing, reading, drawing, cooking — try a few activities and see what sticks, the crucial point is you take a break.
Meaningful connections. Packed schedules and commitments often mean it would be hard to meet with people we love. Planning ahead can solve this problem. It’s always nice to catch up with friends over unhurried lunch or coffee. Since time immemorial, lingering over good food with friends is considered one of life’s greatest pleasures across the globe.
House into home. In the spirit of Japanese decluttering expert Marie Kondo’s KonMari method, we are starting to get in touch with the person we really are and what we really love, and reflecting those values, quirks and favorite things in our homes.
Go gently forth. Life doesn’t mean you have to give up on your dreams when you take a break for a while. Taking the time to determine what you want will set you on you goal without undue pressure. Tape up a photo or two by your desk of your dream vacation, home or symbol of what you truly want, take a break, then have a little faith. Taking small steps toward your goals each day may suddenly feel easier.
The challenging goals are there, thus, why not still try to live a little more comfortably than before.
For more Niagara real estate concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out to The Scarlett Real Estate Group. We are here, a call away for your real estate needs.
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