How to Let Go of Stress During Me-Time

One thing you probably want to do is just get your favorite tea and just sip and unwind, right? In fact, trying to carve out time for yourself—true me-time—can feel hard, right? But simply setting aside that time isn't enough if you can't truly disconnect from the daily stressors that follow you around like a shadow.  Just think about it for a moment; you get time to yourself, but now that you finally have time to yourself, you’re still stressed, maybe even obsessive thoughts. You’re supposed to rest so you can get away from stress, but the stress is still there, so you’re just trying to do something you usually enjoy, but you’re not enjoying it due to all the stress. It’s far from ideal, right?  You deserve your downtime, and you deserve not to have anything looming over you during your downtime! So, with that said, here’s exactly what you can do to let go of those stressors during your “me-time.”

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Find Your Relaxation Zone

First things first: identify a physical space where you can feel calm and relaxed. This might be a certain chair in your living room, a spot in your garden, or even a local park. Really, it’s going to vary for everyone, but for most folks, it’s going to be somewhere in their home, like their bed, “their chair,” or the couch. But no matter where this is, the key is consistency—the more you relax in this space, the more your mind will come to associate it with relaxation and peace. Schedule Downtime and Be Strict

You’re going to dedicate time to other people; why not for yourself? Make it into an actual appointment, and prioritize it! If there are things you’ve been wanting to do, such as looking into how to watch Peacock and binge some shows, then do just that. Or dive into a craft if you’re feeling creative; you deserve this. If you want to do literally nothing, then you should! 

But you have to put yourself first. So, how does this help keep stress at bay when you’re relaxing? Well, by setting specific times for relaxation, you signal to yourself (and others) that this time is valuable and non-negotiable; therefore, no one and nothing will be looming. But this needs to become a habit. Develop a Pre-Relaxation Ritual

It’s not just about the time and the zone because the stress could still loom over you. It’s about taking some time to unwind. Creating a ritual that you can perform before entering your relaxation time will really do some good. 

This could be as simple as making a cup of tea, lighting a candle, or doing some gentle stretches. But you need to get into the habit of something; you could see this ritual can act as a signal to your brain that it’s time to shift gears from “busy mode” to “relaxation mode.”Disconnect to Reconnect

One of the biggest stressors can be the constant barrage of notifications. There’s this expectation to always be reachable, but it’s not healthy at all. So give yourself permission to set your phone to “Do Not Disturb.” Better yet, why not entirely disconnect from your phone or social media for a while?