5 Ways to De-Stress at Home

 **Collaborative Feature**

Whether its work, family or something else entirely many of us often feel stress in our day to day lives and lets face it the last year or so definitely hasn't helped. It can often feel like we are stuck in a never ending loop of work, cleaning, taking care of others and doing everything else, all except taking care of ourselves! 

But I personally am a big believer in the saying "you can't pour from an empty cup" (although I do definitely need to learn to take my own advice sometimes!) and it is so true. Whether its in a day, a month or somewhere else along the line, if we don't take time for ourselves we eventually become overwhelmed with stress, worry and fatigue, and that isn't good for anyone. Stress can create a variety of other issues such as, anxiety, disturbed sleep, and even physical problems such as stomach aches or bloating. Yes those day to day things we all have to deal with are important but they aren't more important that you, you can't do those things if you aren't the best version of you and that is why it is so important to take some time out just for you, to de-stress, unwind and relax. 

As a parent myself I know that trips to the spa are hard to get to and any "me time" ends up being "us time" when the kids want to tag along. However that doesn't mean you can't still de-stress and doing just that at home could be the perfect solution. It might be whilst the kids are at school or even on an evening once they are in bed, whenever it is it important to prioritise the time for you and not fill it with things from your "to-do" list. So below I have put together 5 different ways that you can take time to yourself and hopefully de-stress at home. 

Exercise/Yoga or Meditation 

At first thought the idea of doing exercise might seem like the furthest point from de-stressing but keeping fit and healthy as well as getting yourself moving around and doing some form of exercise (even a brisk walk!) can help you cope better with stress and clear your mind too. People often find that doing exercise or meditation allows them to clear their mind and focus on something else, not to mention that exercise can also help your body release more endorphins and therefore help you to feel less stressed. Plus there are so many ways you can exercise from your home thanks to YouTube videos, dvds and classes online you don't even need to leave your home. 

So whether you love sweating it out to a work out video, hitting the treadmill for a run or finding some calm with yoga or meditation, doing any of the above can help you find focus, clarity and most importantly some time for you to destress and relax. 

Reading 

Reading is such a popular choice when it comes to de-stressing and is a great way to de-stress from home. Many of us want to escape when we are stressed but it isn't always possible to just drop everything and "go". So getting lost in a good book is a fantastic alternative. People often talk about getting transported into a story and I believe it's true, if you can get into a good book it can really feel like your stress levels drop and you are transported to a new world or place for a little while. So if you love books then get into some comfy clothes, curl up on the sofa or in bed and dive into a great story. 

Playing Games Online 

Hands up who remembers whittling away hours of the day on your old Nokia phone with a quick game of snake!? Whilst games like that have definitely progressed over the years they are still just as much fun and a great way to switch your mind off from all of the stress going on and just have some fun. Websites such as Plays.org are great for finding a whole host of fun, easy to play games. Plays.org is a free to use, no ads site which offers free and fun games that you can play in a browser. There is no need to download any apps, sign up to an account or buy any special equipment to play either. 

I have been using the website recently to help me "switch off" from daily stress on an evening and have found some great games to play. Some of my favourite games have been the classics such as tetris, solitaire, battleships and a Pac Man inspired game called "PacRat". The aim of the game is simple, eat the cheese and avoid the cats! But that's what I love about the games on play.org, they are so easy going, easy to play and don't require a whole ton on concentration, perfect for some chill time.

There are also some great number recognition, logic, quiz and puzzle style games that are great for adults and kids that are fun and educational at the same time. My son has enjoyed playing on some of the number recognition games and doing the quizzes with recognisable characters from games like Among Us, over the last few weeks too. 

Bubble Bath and Pampering 

Perhaps one of the most popular ways to de-stress, but one of my favourites too so I had to include it, a bubble bath, pamper and early night! It sounds so simple but sometimes the simplest ways are the most effective and making time for yourself and for some self care is so important when it comes to keeping your stress levels down and just take care of your general heath all together. 

We can all sit by and make excuses for having no time but now and again try to clear your schedule, light some candles, lay out fresh pjs, run a bubble bath, grab your favourite snacks/drinks and find a good book, movie or tv show and just allow yourself to clear your mind and relax. Time for you isn't wasted time, it is so important and just having time alone allows us to let the stress leave us and to revaluate what to do to make things easier for yourself. 

Movie Night 

One easy and low cost way to relax and de-stess at home is creating your very own movie night. Whether its a horror, chick flick or comedy, find your favourite movie, comfy clothes, duvet, snacks and a few drinks and sit back and relax. Its easy to organise and requires very little planning so you can do this on any day and even last minute when you feel like the day or week has just got to you and you need some time to yourself to de-stress. 

Above are just a few ideas of ways that you can de-stress and find time to relax at home. Of course we are all different and what some people find relaxing others won't, however the important thing to take away from this is that however you choose to do it, we all need to take time to relax, time for ourselves and time to de-stress. 

How do you like to de-stress at home? 

xXx

**This is a collaborative post.**