One of the hardest things in everyday life can be finding the off switch on your working life and taking some time for yourself. Even when I’m at home I find it so hard to ignore emails popping up on my phone, which leads to needless worry in my supposed ‘me’ time. When emails are available at our fingertips every second of the day it turns a 9-5 into a 24/7. If you’ve had a particularly crazy week it can be so difficult to switch off that you end up carrying your work home and worrying about that email/client/meeting long into the evening. Long hours and the constant worry of job security can eat away at the precious time you need AND deserve to keep for yourself.
If the thought of deleting your gmail app makes you palms sweat, there are plenty of other ways to help you unwind. Give yourself some slack – if you’re having the week from hell it’s okay to give the gym a miss, to skip the home-cooked meal, or turn down those drinks. Don’t beat yourself up about it, use that time for you and you’ll feel better for it. Find your own happiness routine, whether it’s venting to your friends, leaning on a partner, or having some alone time. Personally, I find it impossible to think about work if I’m in the tub with an episode of Grey’s Anatomy, or cooking my favourite meal. As much as I wish I could find my happy place at the gym, realistically it’s in a glass of wine…but each to their own.
I think in my shop I’d have to have a night dedicated to this, maybe my ‘Unwind from the Grind’ night…too sexual? Anyway, we’d close the shop down, open a few bottles of wine and have some circle time.
Until then, here are my favourites for when I’m in desperate need of some me time.
- The Grey Area – Yoga Mat Much nicer than staring at a plain grey matt, The Grey Area asked seven (reflecting the body’s chakras, obvi) artists to design a yoga mat for this collection.
- Prestat – Chocolate Boxes Now that your chakras are well and truly balanced, you probably deserve some chocolate. These beautifully presented chocolates are available in a delectable variety of flavour combinations.
- Sad and Useless – Colouring Book for Grown Ups Sometimes you need mindfulness and tranquility, and sometimes you need to hate the world a bit and let out some frustration. Channel your anger into creativity with these hilarious doodles.
- Chapel Down – English Sparkling Wine England and wine are hardly synonymous with each other, especially with the amount of new breweries popping up we’re usually considered a beer country, until now. Chapel Down is created using classic Champagne variety grapes grown in Kent and is a frontrunner in the growing popularity of homegrown wines.
- Neals Yard Remedies – Aromatic Massage Oil Okay so I cheated a little, you may need someone else for this one, but it will be oh-so worth it. Stored in their iconic blue bottles, this heady lavender scent puts your mind and muscles at ease.
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