My favourite ways to unwind in Autumn.
Because the aftermath of a busy schedule AND the run-up to Christmas tend to leave their stress (hehe)-marks sometimes.
With my Autumn collection now sitting comfortably in my webshop, a busy -and especially- quite early couple of days topped off with me having to be an assessor at elections I KNEW would depress me in the end, AND those Christmas commissions right around the corner, I often find myself tired, uninspired and overstimulated, both in the mornings and when I come home from my day-job. A tell-tale sign that I have to take a breather, and fill up at least some of the hours in my day with total relaxation. These are my favourite ways to do just that.
PUZZLE || Yes, I am one of those people that always ALWAYS has an unfinished puzzle lying around on - at least in my case - the dining table. It is often neglected during the warmer seasons, but once Autumn starts, oh boy. I can’t get enough. It’s my absolute favourite way to unwind after a busy or uninspired day, since it sets my brain to work in a very soothing kind of way. It IS addictive, though, so I either set a timer or avoid it completely whenever there’s urgent stuff left on my to do list (this is better. I tend to ignore the timer). When there’s not, however? I’ll put on an Autumn-y tv show in the background, and I’m off for the whole evening.
RUN || Another favourite way to clear my head is to just climb onto my treadmill or head out into the (not) crisp (enough yet!) air, running playlist and/or app in my ears and GO. I’m currently enjoying the treadmill days more, because I don’t have to refrain from singing along or reacting to the songs or dialogue I’m hearing, haha! Those really are half the fun, so perhaps I’ll throw my current favourite running companions on here sometime.
DON’T OVERPLAN || In my experience, there’s absolutely no point in forcing yourself to check off a gazillion to dos in one day when you feel drained, already. You’ll either fail to do them as good as you want, or won’t be able to do them at all. Mind you, I’m not saying you shouldn’t put in the work, but rather you should prioritise the things that really need to be done (personal example: focussing on my day-job while I’m there) above the things that are not that urgent (some drawing to do’s and/or unimportant chores like that small pile of laundry eyeing me). Leaving some time - especially in the evenings- to just sit down and relax (and in my case: give the cats some attention) is really important, especially during this time of year.
MAKE A LIST || Don’t judge me, but taking the whole prioritising thing I just mentioned and putting it in a list really soothes me. There’s something about seeing both the work stuff and the relaxation stuff right in front of me, and the having of a clear plan, that really motivates me. A list can get me out of my slump in no time.
TAKE A WALK || Especially in between my two jobs. It helps me unplug from the first one, so I can move on to the second. I’ll either prolong the walk home or combine it with a necessary grocery store visit. Truth be told; I do this every season, but it’s waaaaaay more fun in Autumn/Winter because of the scenery and the weather. That’s right, the weather. You heard me. Give me a walk in the rain or the cold over a scorching sun, any day.
READ || Autumn and Winter are my reading months, since the early dark hours often send me off to bed earlier than usual, which then gives me the extra time to reach for a long forgotten book. I’m currently deep into one I originally started reading at the same time as my Grandma. I gifted her the series for New Year’s (yup, that long ago) because of her love for mystery novels, and the fact that it would give us something extra fun to talk about on my weekly visits. Needless to say she could spoil the whole thing for me by now. She really flew through them, and I can understand why! I really love Osman’s writing style and the funny dialogue, too, and I’m actually really looking forward to seeing the film adaptation as well. The cast alone! In short; wish I could start a morning reading routine as well, to start the day right, but honestly… I’m not sure I’d be able to put it down before work.
DO SOMETHING I LOVED AS A KID || Or just in the past. You know, when I had a lot more spare time, way less obligations and needed less sleep haha! Whether it’s colouring, scrolling through the Tumblr I never deleted or having a go at making my dream Sims house (cheat codes for president), or a couple of Crash Bandicoot or Spyro levels; anything goes, because reconnecting with your inner-child/teen/carefree twenty-something is the absolute bomb.
GET CREATIVE || In the non-drawing, non-obligation sense, of course. A small crafting project, that scarf I’ve been wanting to knit for ages,… All go-to’s for the season, but another thing I like to get creative with is my phone. I was THRILLED when they introduced the whole widget and shortcuts-thing, because it was right up this layout/theme-loving girl’s alley. And while giving my entire phone a seasonal makeover is a bit of a job, I absolutely love looking at the result, and even find it to be quite the productivity boost. In case you’re curious about the current *aesthetic*, here’s a couple of screenshots!
q || how do you unwind these days?
Love, always.
