How to de-stress while staying at home

BY CHERYL LUIS

IN JUST a few weeks, another year stuck at home will come to an end. It was a full year of constantly adapting to new protocols and new ways of working.

Ironically, being closer to home didn’t make the stress of day-to-day tasks any less heavy. Some of us have joined meetings while washing dishes, skipped lunch to work on a deadline, and even woke up just in time to attend an early morning call. The stress we experience has increased because of more back-to-back meetings and higher demand for multi-tasking.

To make sure we don’t burn out, we need to stop for much-needed breaks. You might not notice it but even your skin needs detoxing, too. The constant change in weather and the temperature inside can be causing your skin stress.

End the year refreshed and ready for whatever challenges come our way with these easy-to-do relaxation activities we can do right at home.

Immerse yourself in new worlds

There is no shortage of bad news in the world. Yes, we should be updated with current events, but it doesn’t hurt if we immerse ourselves in more positive environments from time to time. Constantly checking emails and updates about work, especially on weekends, can cause even more anxiety at a time when you should be taking care of yourself.

Read a book about a magical realm, about an intense love story, or a woman finding her purpose in the world. Take it a level higher and join your local book club’s weekly or monthly discussions! Feel the stress fade away as you flip through the pages (or swipe if you’re an e-book convert!) at the end of the day.

Curate a mood-booster playlist

It’s no secret that music affects our mood. Before the workweek starts, why not set aside a few hours just listening to old and new favorites and create a personalized playlist for every kind of mood? This will be an easy stress-reliever when your to-dos start to pile up. It’s also a palate cleanser for your ears after being in whole-day meetings.

Just hit play and feel the stress melt with the beat. Here are some suggested playlists to get you started: “This meeting could have been an email playlist”, “Overtime will soon be over the playlist”, “Malapit na mag-weekend playlist.”

Make your shower a haven

Shower time is sacred alone time. It’s the time of day where we can get away from work calls, parent duties, and house chores! It’s the only time we can truly be alone to relax. Take it a step further and make your shower a full-blow haven of relief by investing in the right products. Set up your favorite candles, ready your trusty scrubs and loofah, and use a cleansing and rejuvenating body wash like Safeguard Detox.

Safeguard Detox is enriched with Pomegranate that allows for deep cleansing of the pores, stripping away germs, bacteria, and dirt while leaving skin refreshed and rejuvenated. The fragrant foam will feel like a refreshing escape with every pump.

Schedule your relaxation time

However, you choose to detox from the stress of each day, make sure that you make time for it (and stick to it!) It’s so easy to get swamped with the daily tasks that we forget to take care of ourselves. Set an alarm for your reading time, block your weekend to curate a playlist, or set 9 a.m. or 11 p.m. as your regular shower time. Setting time to rejuvenate yourself means having more energy to give back to the world. So, what are you waiting for? Start your relaxation today!

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Cheryl Luis is the wife of George N. True II. Like her husband, she advocates health and lifestyle writing and vows to continue “Health Frontiers” as her husband’s legacy./PN