5 Self Care Tips to Help You Recharge Over the Holidays
As I type this it is a Tuesday morning at 10:30 am. I am already ready for the weekend to be here. How about you? Can you even believe that we are just one week out from Christmas?
While the holidays are so much fun, this time of year is full of events, from chorus concerts and shopping for gifts to parties and hosting out of town guests. It can leave you feeling a bit like a battery losing its charge.
How can you relax and recharge when you are running short on time? We're going to share some tips on mindfulness that will not take much time at all, but will leave you feeling like you've had a little boost.
We are overscheduled and over-busy, especially this time of year. We understand that making an appointment to head to the spa for a day of pampering isn't in the cards right now. So what can you do to feel restored when you just cannot carve out a day? Start small with micro-breaks. Even a 10 minute pause can have a major impact.
5 Ways to Recharge Your Batteries
1. Put the phone down tonight.
You sit staring at a computer screen all day at work. You text back and forth. You answer emails. You’d think that once the work day is over and the dinner dishes have been cleared that you’d be ready to sit and relax.
The reality, though, is that most people are still plugged into their smartphones in the evening. Texts continue. Work emails are read and answered long after the work day has ended. Then you just have to check your Facebook feed, look for toy deals to put under the tree, pin cookie recipes and DIY projects over on Pinterest, and share the latest photo on Instagram. When we do this, we are not connected to the people around us. We are not even connected to ourselves.
Put the phone down tonight. The world will not end if you wait until morning to answer an email. Chances are, that sale will still be there (or be even better) on that pair of shoes you have had in your online cart. It is okay to put that phone down to sit and JUST BE.
2. Get your groove on.
Sing your heart out, friends!
Maybe you are rolling your eyes at this thought, but there are real benefits to belting out your favorite tunes. This is actually a GREAT way to take a quick break and get rid of a bit of stress. Go to your playlist and pick a song that just feels good to sing. My own go-to is Semisonic's Semi-Charmed Life. I love singing along with it in the car (much to my boys' dismay). Singing releases endorphins in the body, which are said to lower stress and pain levels.Your average song is just a few short minutes long, so think of it as a three minute recharge!
3. Take a bath.
Pop a Bath Blossom in the tub and enjoy a bath tonight. Once you have stepped into your warm bath, you immediately feel calmer and more relaxed. Did you know that science tells us there is another reason baths help you feel a bit better, though? Do you know that cooler feeling you experience stepping out of the tub, leaving the warm water behind? When that colder air hits your skin, your brain releases something you may have heard of before: Melatonin. Melatonin is a hormone that helps to lull you off to Dream Land a bit more easily. You will feel as good as new after that quick break -- relaxed and soothed.
4. Have a cup of Matcha.
Matcha -- an antioxidant-rich green tea powder -- was introduced to Japan in 1191 by Eisai, a Buddhist monk. Eisai is believed to have planted the first green tea seeds in Japan. He is even more well known for having developed the philosophy known as Zen. Since that time, Matcha and Zen meditation have been intertwined through the tea ceremony. It is believed that Buddhist monks drank Matcha to help them feel grounded and calm with a sense of clarity while meditating for long periods of time. The tradition has continued centuries later.
Matcha is not your typical green tea -- it may take ten cups of green tea to give you the benefits of just one cup of Matcha. What is unique about this drink, as opposed to a cup of coffee, is that it is believed to increase your mental clarity while making you feel at peace.
Have a cup at work if you are feeling that afternoon slump or before you head into a meeting. It will help you restored and recharged.
5. Recharge with Essential Oils.
There are many benefits of aromatherapy and one of my personal favorites is how quickly essential oils (especially Seed Beneficial Blends) make me feel more energetic, yet calm in the afternoon.
My two favorites when I need to feel more recharged are our Stress Relief Beneficial Blend and Let Off Some Steam.
How do you recharge when you are short on time? We'd love to know!
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