Time-outs are important, we probably agree on that. At the same time, it can be difficult to find enough time and peace in everyday life to withdraw and relax. There can be many different reasons for this and many of them cannot simply be eliminated. So what can you do to indulge in relaxation?
For a long time I thought I couldn't relax while I was at home. After all, you can't go on holiday every few days or visit other people. But regular relaxation is so important. So I couldn't avoid looking for it within my own four walls and it was worth it.
One of the reasons I thought I couldn't do it was the fact that there is always something to do at home. Tidying up, cleaning, laundry etc., household stuff. The bitter truth is, I had to accept: that will never change. I will always find something to do. But, and this is the difference I see by now: I have invested time in setting up my home so that I have to do much less and/or not as often. Some examples:
- create more storage space, wherever possible, as long as you can live with the visual result: this way everything has a fixed place and I can always put everything away or back immediately
- less decoration and rather big, beautiful eye-catchers instead of lots of cluttered bits and pieces: less stuff for dusting
- instead of one laundry basket, two bigger ones: less washing, but a fuller washing machine
- Clean out the cellar and put there everything I rarely need in the flat, e.g. larger kitchen utensils
All in all, I have a tidier flat and therefore less stuff that keeps me from relaxing. I wouldn't have believed it before, but that's a huge difference and it's bigger the more radical you are in the process.
Now that this was settled, the question was: where is the best place to relax? For many, the answer is simple, it's e.g. a hot bath in the bathtub, a nap on the sofa or reading in your favourite armchair. For me, I have found that I don't have a preference, but it depends on the mood of the day. Sometimes I want to snuggle up in a blanket on the couch and sometimes I want to sit in an armchair armed with a red light lamp. It really does seem to be different for everyone, because needs, preferences and life circumstances are also different. For me, my whole flat has become my place of retreat. That works because there are two of us in the household. With children or in a shared flat it's different, of course, because there are more points of contact with people who may not be in relaxation mode at the moment. That's why it's a good idea to explain to your loved ones that closing the door in the room you're in is a sign that you're taking a break, and with such agreements it can work well that you can switch off despite the presence of others. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you!
Alex, founder of Aninsu
