Bella's Beautiful Life

In the last few decades, a day off became more about catching up on work (or life) and running errands, than about actually enjoying the day. It can be hard to take a day off, especially if you’re a student or work from home. Of course some people have the opportunity to take a day off and relax, but instead choose to work or be busy because that’s what makes them happy, which is fine. But for centuries, even people with no religious affiliation took at least one day off a week to rest and all of the businesses stayed closed. People weren’t created to run 24/7/365, if someone keeps racing through life on a daily basis, it can be very hard on them physically, mentally, and emotionally.

Especially when we’re on a tight schedule it can seem wrong to relax, because we think that we are “wasting time”. As a college student I would take 18-21 credits a semester, and was involved in several university clubs. Between balancing responsibilities and working to keep a 4.0 GPA, I never had an off day where I could rest. There were some weeks I didn’t even have a few hours to relax! I soon discovered that if I left an assignment for an hour, rested, and came back to it, I had a higher level of productivity.

I think it’s better to take a day off to relax now and then, instead of working until I’m exhausted. If your work’s something you enjoy, it’s okay to spend some time on it. Just don’t let it consume your relaxing time. For example, it’s Saturday and I’ve been editing, but I’m not letting work consume the day. Some lazy days we just need to take a nap, other times it’s nice to have some fun things to do. Keep reading for some fun ideas of things to do on your next lazy day.

• Sleep in until you feel ready to get up.
• Wear comfy clothes and an easy hairstyle.
• Bake something – cookies, brownies, or cupcakes.
• Make enough coffee or tea to last you all day.
• Do a mini-marathon of your favorite movies or TV show episodes. If you want to switch things up, watch a new TV show you’ve been wanting to check out. Pop some popcorn, and gather up snacks as if you were going to a movie theater. Make sure to grab a warm, fuzzy blanket.
• Take a short nap in the afternoon (bring your fuzzy blanket with you).

• Go to a coffee shop – Invite a friend or two to go along with you if you’d like.
• Be creative. Paint/draw a picture, take photos, crochet, or sew something, or color in an adult coloring book.
• Play your favorite albums and songs while you relax around your house.
• Write out your thoughts in a journal.
• Rearrange some things in your house to change things up.
• Go to a museum and take your time walking through.
• Cook your favorite meal for supper.
• Stay off your phone for a part of the day, or better yet don’t check it at all.
• Go for a walk around your neighborhood or through a nearby park.