It’s been a long day at work, which also happens to be home, and you need to unwind. Though the global pandemic that has defined the previous two and a half years is largely fading in the rearview mirror, its effects on the way we work are still very much in place.
In fact, in a study published in May of this year, as reported by Yahoo! Finance, it was found that ”24% of businesses planned to use increased homeworking as a permanent business model going forward”, with over 90% of respondents stating a desire to continue working remotely, at least in a hybrid fashion, for the foreseeable future.
Back in those heady, pre-pandemic days of 2019, we’d head home after work, slip into our PJs, park ourselves on the sofa and our troubles would disappear.
But things have changed immeasurably, and now it can be tough to find solace in the same space you’ve spent the whole day straining and striving. Not to worry; here at IDEAL, we’ve been doing this a long time and we’re here to help you take a load off.
Nope, we’re not going to muck in and help you meet your deadlines, but rather, we’ll offer this invaluable advice on how to unwind and relax after a long day #WFH.
Ceremoniously Shut Up Shop
Be rigorous about what time you shut up shop each day, and do so ceremoniously, even if all that means is switching on your ‘out of office’ auto reply or shutting down your laptop and putting it in its case until tomorrow. This will help you enter ‘home’ mode most succinctly.
A Dedicated Relaxation Corner
With the computer closed and the mindset shifted into relaxation mode, it’s time to eke out a space dedicated to you and you alone.
First and foremost, the furniture you choose – or, more specifically, the chair – is going to have the biggest impact on how relaxing your dedicated ‘me time’ area ends up being.
With posture issues an ongoing problem for those still using hastily arranged home-working set-ups, furniture designed with a therapeutic angle is a good idea. Considering you’re seated and staring at their screens for long stretches each day, a chair that will cradle that hunched back and shoulders of yours is ideal.
As the guys at Sophie lift recliners tell us, a reclining chair with whole body vibration therapy, heat therapy, and different massage modes can ease those aching bones. Phwoar; we feel more relaxed just thinking about it.
Read: How to make working from home as comfortable as possible
A Glass Of Red & Some Relaxing Music
A double whammy of relaxation this one.
If your day has been full of hustle, bustle, errands and demands, a little bit of ‘you’ time could be just what the doctor ordered, and one of the best ways to block out the business of the day is with relaxing music.
And we’re sure we don’t need to tell you twice (we will; word count, and all that) about how relaxing a glass of wine can be. No matter how busy your day has been, sipping on a glass of red can certainly help calm you down. Couple this with some of that soothing music, and you’re in for a relaxing time indeed.
Of course, it’s important to have some hard science to back up this claim which we think can provide…
- Once we thought that this was just the alcohol blocking out the day’s woes. However, as reported by the Metro, “Scientists say that plant compound resveratrol, found in red wine, helps relieve stress in the brain.’’
- Listening to relaxing music is a great way to unwind. As Time explains, music can buoy your mood and seems to “selectively activate” neurochemical systems and brain structures associated with positive mood, emotion regulation, attention and memory in ways that promote beneficial changes”
- Put the two together, and voila!
*disclaimer – this is purely speculation. we haven’t done any studies to prove that drinking a glass of red wine and listening to relaxing music together is relaxing – but it sounds pretty calming to us.*
If you’re wondering what relaxing song to listen to, a team of neuroscientists have actually specified exactly which songs to listen to. In a study commissioned by Radox, it was found that listening to ‘Weightless’ by Marconi Union (apparently the most relaxing song out there) is, incredibly, more relaxing than having a massage.
Other relaxing songs chosen for the study are listed below, so create a playlist and pour one up…
1: Adele – Someone Like You 2: Barcelona – Please Don’t Go 3: Morcheba – Undress Me Now 4: airstream – Electra 5: Coldplay – Strawberry Swing 6: Massive Attack – Teardrop 7: Sigur Rôs – Sǣglôpur 8. Air – All I Need 9: Café Del Mar – We Can Fly 10: Jack Johnson – Upside Down 11: Moby – Porcelain 12: All Saints – Pure Shores 13: Enya – Watermark 14: Katie Melua – Nine Million Bicycles Track 15: Mozart – Canzonetta Sull’aria 16: DJ Shah – Mellomaniac (Chill Out Mix)
Now, the serious part; be careful about pouring that second glass as it’s not advisable to drink more than 14 units a week. According to the NHS, “Fourteen units is equivalent to 10 small glasses of low strength wine”. To put things into further perspective, a 750ml bottle of red wine (ABV 13.5%) contains 10 units; two bottles during the week will put you significantly over the recommended safe limit.
Unplug Your Devices
Relaxing is difficult in our digital world, and sometimes an intended period of downtime loses a fair part of its purpose if it’s simply spent staring at your device on your sofa. And don’t get us started on checking those emails while you’re not meant to be winding down for the day.
Instead, relish the time away from your screen, full stop, and leave all devices at a safe arm’s length while you kickback.
Cook A Healthy Meal
Preparing a healthy meal can actually be quite therapeutic. When you’ve had a busy day and your mind feels frazzled, drawing a line between the day from the evening by focusing your energy into creating your favourite dish can be hugely rewarding and relaxing. Put on a podcast, sharpen your knives, and luxuriate in some time standing up, stretching out, away from a screen and your worries.
Enjoy An Aromatherapy Bath
An aromatherapy bath with essential oils can be so relaxing, offering a whole host of stress relieving, muscle relaxing and mind soothing benefits.
However, while the idea of a long, languid soak for hours seems wonderful on paper, many people (us, included) get bored in the tub surprisingly soon after settling in.
Enter a waterproof portable speaker, preferably one designed with clever suction cups to ensure things stay stable and dry, and able to keep you entertained for hours in the tub if that’s your wish. Catch up on the news, listen to your favourite podcast, or sing along to your favourite tunes, all from in the bath…one of life’s greatest pleasures, we think.
Yoga & Meditation
Give yourself some alone time at home after a long day, and take the opportunity to decompress. You can do this by taking deep breaths or doing progressive muscle relaxation exercises, and if you’re feeling particularly stressed out, consider trying yoga or meditation in your downtime.
A daily guided meditation is another great way to tackle the endless, unhelpful rumination on the day’s issues which seems to blight bedtime. A simple, ten minute session before bed can actually trigger the body’s ‘relaxation response’ wherein heart rate and blood pressure fall, allowing you to be body-ready for sleep.
Go For A Mindful Walk
A walk is a great way to clear your mind of all that work-based clutter accumulated throughout the day, restoring a sense of relaxation in the process. Moreover, it’s a great excuse to get out and about into nature.
The UK’s leading mental health charity, Mind, recommend reconnecting with the natural world in order to reduce stress and improve your wellbeing. And honestly, after a year of largely being stuck indoors, this is music to our ears.
Get An At-Home Massage
Though that relaxation chair with previously mentioned can certainly help with an impromptu, domestic massage, sometimes there’s nothing better than a genuine, hands-on treatment, let’s be honest.
De-stressing and decompressing from the daily grind could be a massage’s ultimate trump card. Indeed, if you’ve been having trouble unwinding after work, research has shown that deep-tissue massage therapy is the answer.
However, it should be noted that this type of massage is for those who prefer more pressure. Nope, not that walking on the back, leaving you with more aches than you came in with type of pressure. Instead, the strokes are slow, but the fingers are pressing harder on the skin for relaxing the deep tissues. Give us some of that, please!