Life goes fast, and it’s tempting to try to keep up with the pace you see on social media: busy people going to new places, switching jobs, boasting about their careers, having children, celebrating achievements… But sometimes it’s better to slow down. We’re happier, more productive, and more creative (in the long-term) if we’re well rested and not always hurrying.
And at home more than anywhere else, you want to feel relaxed. Home should be a sanctuary, a place to recharge and feel yourself. So here are two easy ways to make your home more relaxing.
Don’t bow to the pressure of intense mornings
Having mentioned social media already, it only makes sense to acknowledge its influence again here. Morning routines – full of intense workouts, monk-like meditations, saunas, ice baths, foam rolling, and whatever else (sometimes all before 6am) – are some of the most clicked-on and debated Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts. But what if such an intense morning routine isn’t right for everybody?
If it feels better to take things slower in the early hours, do what’s right for you. Vogue recently reported on a group of experts rethinking the “hyper-ritualised morning”. That wasn’t because they didn’t care about health or wellness, but because those intense routines you see on Instagram might be harming more than they’re helping.
Our cortisol levels are generally highest between 6am and 9am. That’s natural: we want to be awake, alert, and ready for the day. Adding things like black coffee (especially without eating first), HIIT workouts, and super-stimulating music means we risk pushing cortisol too high. This, depending on your biology and life circumstances, may trigger anxiety, unpleasant digestive symptoms, blood sugar crashes, and/or mood swings. Sounds awful, and is.
How about light stretching or gentle yoga instead of the HIIT workout, walking in nature or sitting in your garden or a park instead of doomscrolling, and eating a meal before drinking coffee? If that sounds more workable, and more sustainable, give it a try, and see how your home – and your life – may change.
Accept help around the home
If the jobs are stacking up, accept help where it’s offered. If a friend or family member offers a hand, try not to be too proud to accept it. Sometimes we want to do everything ourselves, from cleaning to cooking to working at home to chauffeuring kids and friends around. But if you’re giving others help, accept some in return.
If you’re moving home, this is even more important. Psychologists often refer to moving homes as one of the most stressful events in life (along with events like weddings and changing jobs). If a kind friend offers to pack and lift boxes, that could make the run up to moving day far less stressful. And if they’re around on moving day, even better.
In busy areas like Manchester and London, it’s often difficult finding a parking spot – before even considering how you’re going to get all your belongings in the new home. For London residents, South London Movers (southlondonmovers.co.uk) have 20 years’ experience in house removals. They move Londoners locally and to Europe and across the globe.
So there are two ways: enjoying a slow morning, and accepting help where offered. Then hopefully your home can be, instead a place of rush and stress, a place of peace and restoration.
