4 tips on how to cultivate relaxation in your life

Relaxation is a state that everyone wants to be perpetually be in. Aside from a restful sleep which is incredibly important for our health and mental state, being able to harness moments of relaxation and peace throughout the day is essential for us to maintain our normal functioning and assuage our stress levels. 

However, we are creatures of habit. It's not always easy to always feel relaxed when our routines are rigid, predictable - and which sometimes feel like we are being grinded to our core. 

Here are some, practical four tips to get your daily dose of relaxation in the day: 

1) Be more mindful of the simple moments in the day: Many of us go through our daily routines on autopilot, barely noticing what we’re doing. An easy way to focus your attention on the present is to concentrate all your attention on simple tasks. For example, when you are making a cup of tea, pay attention to the sound of the water heating in the kettle and the wisps of steam coming from the spout; as you pour the water, watch the colour of the water change as it hits the teabag; listen to the gurgling of the liquid as it fills the cup. As you stir your drink, listen to the clink of the teaspoon against the cup; as you take a sip, feel the mug warm your fingers; then, rather than gulping it down, savour the taste and notice any thoughts that arise. Whenever your mind wanders into negative thoughts, gently return your attention to what you are doing.

2) Take a break. Now.  Taking a break doesn’t have to take up lots of time either. Stepping away from stressful situations for a few minutes or taking time away from your normal routines and thoughts can give you enough space and distance to feel calmer. Reading a book or flipping through a blog post, even if it’s only for a few minutes, or taking a quick stroll around the block, should be enough to reset yourself.

3) Reduce the amount of time you spend on multitasking. We take pride ourselves on our ability to be able to do a number of things at once, but in reality, when our brains are rapidly switching back and forth between tasks, such as when we take a phone call while continuing to work on a document on the computer, what’s really happening is that one of the two activities is carried out on autopilot. It also takes several seconds to get your brain into each ‘mode’ required for the different activities, meaning we’re actually less productive when multi-tasking, not more, and we waste time every time we switch between jobs. Your mind can become distracted and agitated as result.

4) Clear your clutter: Living in a tidy, clutter-free environment can have a big impact on your stress levels. Think about the last time you were late because you couldn’t find your car keys or a clean shirt. Having a place for everything is calming, and being able to locate things you need quickly means that you are less likely to be in a rush. Decluttering your entire house or flat in one go might appear to be an overwhelming task but breaking it down into smaller, more manageable sessions will make it less daunting. Dedicating just 10 minutes a day to getting rid of items that you no longer find useful, or that no longer give you any pleasure, can be immensely satisfying and calming. 

Credit: This blog post was inspired by the fantastic book How to Relax -  Laura Milne