Like so many people I work a pretty standard nine to five. It's monotonous, lengthy and ever so tedious, so whenever I am lucky enough to have downtime, I like to truly make the most of it. Especially at this time of year, when the sun is shining and the temperatures soaring, there's no better excuse to just chill out.
In our fast-paced world of instant pretty-much-everything, sometimes it can be difficult to just switch off from the work WhatsApp group and realise that everything will continue turning and progressing even if you haven't replied to that latest email. In fact sometimes it can be more beneficial for your mental state to take a couple of steps back and just calm down. The world won't end if you haven't finished that task or got ahead with your blog planning, it's okay, we're all human, we all need to chill sometimes. So for today's post I wanted to share with you all three ways I like to relax when I'm having downtime.
1 - Read A Good Book
Nothing screams 'chilled out' like being cuddled up on the sofa or in a garden chair, sipping a glass of icy lemonade whilst utterly entranced by a good book. Now I'm aware that not everyone is a fan of reading but for those of us who are, it's the perfect relaxing activity. Pros include: You can literally do it anywhere: in the bath, outside, inside... the list goes on! It's also fairly inexpensive especially if you've got a Kindle because they have loads of amazing books at cheaper prices.
At this time of year I tend to read more romance novels / contemporaries however I'll never say no to a good fantasy. Recently I read Harry Potter And The Cursed Child which in case you're not aware is the eighth story in the Harry Potter universe.
What I've Been Reading:
Harry Potter And The Cursed Child by J. K. Rowling
Passenger by Alexandra Bracken
The Girl On The Train by Paula Hawkins
If you're someone who reads a lot please let me know some of your book recommendations because I'm always up for something new! And if you're not a huge reader but would like to get into it more I'll leave my post (from back in the day!) about my Top 5 Contemporary Novels linked here.
2 - Listen To Some Music And Browse The Internet
Everyday when I'm at work, I look forward to coming home, flopping in an armchair and scrolling through Twitter and Tumblr. I'm a huge internet addict; I literally spent most of my time glued to my phone and nothing allows my mind to switch off more than a good browse of Tumblr. Personally I think this site has been tarnished with a bad rep as being filled with either 15 year old Panic! At The Disco fans or er slightly more adult material, however I can honestly say that I adore Tumblr. It's really fun and easy to set up your blog and then you're good to go. I love how you can save your favourite tags in the search bar (ultimate lazy girl hacks) and easily switch between your different blogs whilst reblogging all the gifs of Evan Peters...
And secondly no browsing session is complete without some good tunes. Recently I've been loving smaller artists like Fleurie and Ruelle however I've gotta say Adele is absolutely killing it ATM.
Songs I've Been Loving:
Dancing On My Own - Callum Scott
Send My Love - Adele
Here - Alessia Cara
Raging - Kygo feat. Kodaline
Oh My My - Ruelle
Big Guns - Ruelle
Fire In My Bones - Fleurie
Wildwood - Fleurie
3 - Bake Something Delicious
Nothing is better than a house that smells like cake. And I'm not talking the scented candle type either! Nope, fresh baking just produces the most wonderful aroma and of course something delectable to munch on. I've actually just spent all morning baking for my dad's birthday and have found it to be really relaxing. Just pop on some music, find a recipe and you're good to go!
Some of my favourites for this time of year are Victoria's Sponge Cake, Pavlova and a really delectable lime and coconut cake. (Recipe for that one coming soon!) Let me know any of your favourite recipes and feel free to leave me a link because I'm looking to extend my repertoire!
Some of my favourites for this time of year are Victoria's Sponge Cake, Pavlova and a really delectable lime and coconut cake. (Recipe for that one coming soon!) Let me know any of your favourite recipes and feel free to leave me a link because I'm looking to extend my repertoire!
Before I go, I wanted to quickly talk about my outfit. Firstly I'm wearing these gorgeous co-ords from River Island which are the absolute perfect splash of colour for the sunshine. (Unfortunately I couldn't find it to link even though I only bought it about six weeks ago..?!) During summer time, I try to be more adventurous when it comes to working colour into my wardrobe as otherwise I tend to stray towards the cozy monochromes - better stay with what you know, eh?! However as soon as I saw these on ASOS I knew they just had to be mine because they're super flattering and comfortable and the design work is just gorgeous! My shoes are from Boohoo* and once again I'm obsessed with the bright, vibrant touch they add to my wardrobe.
Let me know what you guys like to do in your downtime!
BEAUTIFUL! - I'm love with the two peice, serious looks lovely on you, I'm literally so jealous of your garden you know (lol that sounds weird!) but your ootd's always have a lovely backdrop and the flowers are beautiful!!! Have I ever told you before I'm secretly a grandma hahaha
ReplyDelete- In my down time I love nothing more than to have a coffee and sit in silence, when you're chatting all day in work etc. I always crave silence, it re-charges me. That or a nice book like you mentioned, its like you switch off from your real life and get carried away with the characters in the book! Great Post as always xxx
Aww thank you! I'm actually really lucky because my parents are completely redoing the garden so everything keeps changing which means new backdrops hahaha!! It's fine, we're both grandmas!!! xxx
DeleteGreat suggestions for relaxing. I try to do all of these except I find baking more stressful than relaxing. Although ever since I got a KitchenAid mixer I do enjoy it more.
ReplyDeleteI just finished Harry Potter and the Cursed Child as well. One of my favorite contemporary books is called The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August if you want to give it a try. I have a review of it on my blog.
Lovely outfit and garden. Very summery! :)
Annika | http://theseasonahead.com
Yes!! My KitchenAid is life!!! Ooh interesting, I'll have to give it a shot! xx
DeleteYes to all three of these things! You already know that I'm a huge bookworm as well so reading is definitely my favourite way to relax :) Something else that allows me to switch off too is watching YouTube videos - going through my subscription box at the end of the day is one of my favourite things. Also can I just say, you're always killing it with your outfits! I'm in love with that two piece x
ReplyDeleteSara’sChapters
Ooh yeah I love YouTube! Especially vloggy kind of videos that are super chill or funny! LOVE those! Thank you lovely xx
DeleteYes to all of this especially music! Music can really help me relax and boost my mood- it's fantastic! Plus you look absolutely stunning in these photos xx
ReplyDeleteThrifty vintage fashion
Ahh thank you hun!! Yes definitely, music is the best xx
DeleteOh I need some downtime in my life, I keep running between my blog and my college work! This post will clearly help me out a lot! Also, if you like reading young adult books then here are some recommendations:
ReplyDeleteIf I Was Your Girl by Meredith Russo
Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard
https://reetlonari.com
Ahh I've read Red Queen and you're right it's amazing!!! I keep hearing loads about If I Was Your Girl, so I might give it a try! Thanks for the recommendations xxx
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