How To Rest When You Just Can’t Afford It

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It seems to be a common theme today among bloggers and authors…”Slow Down, Rest, Simple Living, Being In The Moment”. They often give great reasons why they are taking time off or why you should do. Some blame it on adrenal fatigue, others on their busy schedules and some don’t give any reason.

I don’t know about you but this drove me nuts for a while. Here I was struggling to make ends meet and here’s this author or blogger telling me to slow down and smell the roses. I took their advice in an all or nothing capacity. Which is how I take most things. I figured that since I cannot possibly spend every second of every day resting, I couldn’t do it at all. Nor could I afford to do some of the things they recommended.

I feel that many of these authors and bloggers have their hearts in the right place with their recommendations but many of us just can’t afford do it the way they do. And that’s ok. Resting IS important. Our bodies and mind do need a chance to rejuvenate themselves. Fortunately, this doesn’t have to be complicated or add even more stress to your day. Yes, I am the person who stressed while I’m supposed to be relaxing.

There are a few things I found that makes it easier to incorporate rest into my daily life, without spending a fortune on a traditional spa. (I wouldn’t be opposed if anyone wanted to treat to a spa day though…just saying)

Weekly Planning Session

Some people hate the thought of planning. If that is you, skip to the next idea. For me, I adore planning. It relaxes me to have everything wrote down and thought out. I set aside an hour every week for my planning session. It truly helps me feel on top of my game during the week.

At Home Spa

I sometimes have a home spa day with my daughter. We paint nails, make our own face masks, take detox baths and talk. It’s a great way to treat yourself (and daughters!) without spending a lot of money.

Reading

Reading is a great way to rest. Whether you are into fiction or non-fiction, a good book is a great way to force yourself to stop and rest your body while entertaining your mind.

Mindless Television

I’m not a big TV watcher. I can go weeks without watching a show. But, when I do decide to watch TV, I binge watch an entire season of something at once. Sometimes, I need the physical and mental rest. I suffer from severe endometriosis and I’m usually bedridden for the first day or two of my cycle. I now use some of that time to watch TV guilt free.

Board Games

I find it relaxing to play a board game with my daughter. Plus, it’s quality time! Win win!

Creating More Time In The Day

While you can’t actually add more hours to your day, you can create more time. Do this by using tools and shortcuts.

Like everything else in life, moderation is the key when it comes to resting. Just like you can overdo productivity, it’s possible to overdo resting. Find a healthy balance between the two (when possible).

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