The summer holidays can be a pretty stressful time; it’s hot, you’ve got holidays to plan and pack for, the kids are at home all day every day, and still your normal work life carries on regardless. Practising self-care can be challenging in today’s hectic world, but it is so important to rest your mind and body if you want to avoid unnecessary stress and burn out. Put one day aside as a designated ‘Lazy Day;’ a day for relaxing, chilling out and generally just enjoying doing pretty much nothing at all, whether alone or as a family. If you’re not good at doing nothing, read on for our top tips for having a super restful lazy day:
Comfy clothes are key – stay in your PJs if you fancy, but make sure you’re cool/warm enough. The great thing about lazy days is that you’re unlikely to be out in public, so it’s a great excuse to wear messy hair and no make up.
Make a trip to the shops the day before and gather everything you need; think food, drink, toys, games, books etc. You want to make sure you can spend the day relaxing rather than running errands, so make extra effort to ensure your day is completely free of any tasks (don’t worry, they will still be there the next day).
It is summertime after all, so if the sun’s shining outside and you have a garden, make the most of the good weather. Sunbathe while listening to music or an audiobook, chill in a paddling pool, have water fights with the kids, make chalk drawings on the brick patio and play outdoor games. Remember to wear sun cream and keep hydrated – heat stroke and sunburn aren’t particularly relaxing.
Let’s face it, there’s at least a small chance that the heavens will open and it will pour down with rain, in which case you might as well make the most of it and hunker down on the sofa with a movie marathon or boxset binge. Take the time to take care of yourself; you can finally run that bath you’ve been promising yourself or pop on a face mask and do your nails – you could even try meditation or journaling to relax your mind as well as your body.
It’s up to you whether you decide to indulge in healthy snacks or junk food, but make sure you space out your snack intake to avoid stomach upset. As always, drinking water is a good idea alongside your favourite chilled beverage (why not try your hand at making iced coffee while you have time?).
Since you have time, you could go all out for dinner and cook your favourite meal from scratch including dessert, or enjoy a BBQ outside if it’s warm. It is a lazy day, though, so it is perfectly acceptable to simply order a take away and eat it in front of the TV if that’s what you fancy.
