Being Content In Your Off Time

Off time. It’s something everybody wants and needs, and often enough we don’t get enough of. Even in the moments we don’t have anything to do, we spend it worrying that we’re missing something, or stressing over not having anything to do. And that’s just a complete waste of your time! So it’s evident we need some quick fixes here, and thankfully, there’s plenty of those to go around.

Relaxing is the one thing we should be doing here, and there’s so many ways to relax out there. Depending on the type of person you are, this could be lounging on the sofa, writing out your next ‘bestseller’, making yourself a good snack, or pampering yourself in the bath. Find what you really enjoy doing, and then get to doing it the next time you’ve got an hour or so alone. Here’s some tips for helping you enjoy your off time.

Do you see yourself looking like this? If not, it’s time to step up!

Try Out a Massage

Massages always work wonders on us, and it’s because they release the tension we hold in our muscles whenever we get stressed, depressed, or otherwise overly emotional. And everyone has tension in their shoulders or their back that’s harmful on their health and their posture, so releasing this is always going to make you feel as light as a cloud.

You don’t even have to go out to a spa for your worries to be properly soothed away. You can easily work out these knots under your skin by yourself! Something as simple as a hand massage can be good enough to get you through a particularly grueling afternoon, so take a couple of minutes to try this. If you’ve been at a desk all day, your hands are going to be especially tired!

When you get home, see if your partner would be up to soothing some of the bigger knots out of your back. You can’t quite reach this part of your body yourself, and just having someone else rubbing it down is definitely going to make you feel better in yourself!

Make a Nice Hot Cuppa’

Just holding a hot cup of something can make you feel a warmer inside, as our skin sends out all these signals to the brain that we’re feeling a little happier when something warming is between our fingertips. With this in mind, it’s no wonder that simply having a cup of coffee in the morning, or a cup of tea when we get home makes the world feel OK again!

So pour yourself something hot, and drink it down whilst you’re having a good sit down. Something healthy, like green tea or a herbal infusion will have benefits for all of your organs as well, so you can relax in the comfort that you feel warm and you’re healing at the same time. And it doesn’t take long to boil some water, try it!

Boot Up a Good Game

Not all of us are gamers, but there’s a good few among us that like to turn on the computer and release some tension in a favorite game of theirs. And there’s a lot of games out there that people can devote their time to, meaning there’s something for everyone if you want to try it out.

And there’s a lot of different platforms for you to try out if you don’t own a certain piece of equipment. For example, a good place to stop would be your phone, which you’re most likely to own compared to an XBOX or a PS4. And most of the gaming apps for this system are free, so whether you want to be the hero in Final Fantasy 15 or simply fill in a couple of sudoku puzzles in the five minutes you have alone, you have the choice to do so! Let’s face it, beating another player (whether they be real or just an AI), means you’re able to work out a bit of tension from your shoulders at least!

Attempt a Touch of Mindfulness

This is often cited as the number one way to relax and enjoy yourself in the time you have, but it doesn’t work for everyone, and there’s no one true method to be mindful. You don’t even need an expert to teach you some good ways to do it, as there’s a lot of advice online for you to look into. Let’s touch upon some common methods here.

If all the snippets you’ve heard about mindfulness in your daily life have intrigued you enough to give it a go, now is a good time to try something new that can directly help you. And this realization also means you’re well on your way to already being mindful in your daily life! You see, mindfulness is all about paying attention to what’s going on in the here and now and doing nothing else in that moment. So start off by thinking about what it is you do during the day usually, no matter how involuntary the action may be.

Think about how you breathe, how you walk, and be aware of all these little things you do automatically. Once you’re more aware of them, you can focus better on them, drawing your attention back to yourself and away from whatever is bothering you outside of your own little bubble. Don’t let what you do become simple muscle memory; if you’re carrying out a routine, think about what it is you’re doing. And it’s as simple as that!

Are You Content?

If you’re not feeling good in the moments you’re meant to feel good, try out some of these activities. Stopping yourself from overthinking things is wonderful for your health, and allows you to live in a bit more peace and quiet than ever before. There’s no need to keep on stressing about what’s going on outside when you’ve got an entire inside world to pay attention to, so live in the moment!