It is so important to make time for ourselves and have some time out for self-care. It is too easy to forget about this with juggling families and work. Here are some ideas for taking a little time out for yourself.
Puzzles
Puzzles aren’t just for children and are a great way to have some time for yourself. Jigsaw puzzles are effective in strengthening your short-term memories because they require recollection of colours and shapes as well as problem-solving. The period of finding the solutions for the puzzles puts the mind in a meditative state. This enables you to manage stress and other life issues that negatively affect your productivity. Enhanced mind tranquillity assists adults to achieve self-confidence that promotes social well-being.
Read a book
Take just half and hour out for reading a book or magazine. Whether you are into thrillers, romances or glossy magazines, taking a little time for yourself to delve into another world can be incredible. Curl yourself up with a coffee and book and just enjoy.
Take a bath
I love running a hot bath, full of bubbles or my favourite bath oil. I used to do it on a regular basis, I would light candles, make myself a drink, put on a relaxing playlist and just relax. I would have a facemask, take time to exfoliate and then afterwards, I would moisturise my whole body. I can’t actually remember the last time I made time to do that, it’s definitely time I started doing that again.
Go for a walk
Get some fresh air and enjoy the scenery, take time to notice your surroundings instead of being in a hurry, rushing past. If you find somewhere nice, sit for a while and take some deep breaths.
Watch your favourite show
Watch your favourite film or TV show without feeling guilty that you should be doing something else.
Do something crafty
Whether you feel like colouring, crocheting, knitting or sewing. Adults can benefit from crafting as a relaxing method of expressing creativity and channelling emotions. My friend enjoys painting and decorating glasses.
Dance
Put on your favourite music and dance, don’t think about anything but the music.
Exercise
Go for a run, do some yoga, swimming, download an exercise app, whatever you fancy trying. Exercise increases cardiovascular activity, burns extra calories, but most importantly, it releases endorphins in the brain, which have a role in reducing stress and managing depression, as well as decreases the stress hormones in the body, like cortisol.
Exercise can also be a great outlet for frustrations and anger (like martial arts or weight training). It can take your mind off of problems and troubling thoughts, just by placing you in a different environment and forcing you to focus on your deep breathing.
Win a Cloudberries Bloom jigsaw
The eye-catching BLOOM jigsaw is divided into eight self-contained sections each depicting a colourful illustration of a flower with a Scandi-chic vibe.
The clever “two-way” design lets you puzzle with a friend sitting opposite on the other side of the table – in fact, it’s ideal for sociable puzzling, as you can each pick a section to get stuck into. Once you get started, you won’t want to “leaf” it alone!
Cloudberries plant a tree for each jigsaw puzzle sold. Not only that but all their jigsaws and their boxes use recycled FSC-certified paper and board, including paper from sustainably-managed woods.
Win a Cloudberries Jigsaw
