Relax

I loved this post by The Nester about taking a break.  It got me thinking about what is relaxing to me.  Aren’t we all so different in that regard?  What recharges me might absolutely zap you of energy or bore you to tears. 

Here is a brief list of my favorite ‘relaxers’…

• crossword puzzles/sudoku (I know – I can already hear some of you saying ‘Just shoot me’)
• chatting with my husband over a latte
• cleaning out a closet/drawer
• reading – propped up in bed, in the tub or on the couch
• Facetime with our kids
• blog surfing
• thumbing through catalogs (paper or online)
• puttering in the yard – pruning, moving things, imagining
• wandering through a nursery
• looking through old photos/video

This all reminds me of the book “Margin” by Richard Swenson.  He compares life lived without dedicated time for rest to a book without margins – overload.  From the cover:  Overload is fatigue. Margin is energy. Overload is red ink. Margin is black ink. Overload is hurry. Margin is calm. Overload is anxiety. Margin is security. Overload is the disease of our time. Margin is the cure.

Whether you are busy with work, busy with family, busy with school or all of the above, we all desperately need down time.  I think it’s just wise to recognize that in ourselves before someone close to us has to tell us – you are _____{grouchy, unavailable, touchy, really not fun to be around…}  I’m currently having a little ‘forced margin’ in the form of my useless knee.  While frustrating for sure, I’m trying to enjoy the downtime. 

What is really relaxing to you??  I’d love it if you’d leave a comment telling me how you take a break.

And here’s to staying in your jammies all day!