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Taking The Time To Relax

July 27, 2015 @ 22:10 By Gavin Webber 6 Comments

Living a more sustainable lifestyle is sometimes quite hectic, so it really pays to take a step back regularly and relax.

Not relaxing using the couch potato method in front of the idiot box, but quality relaxation performing a hobby or task that changes your thinking from the day-to-day humdrum and lets your mind drift so that the tenseness and stress just drips away.

relaxing-frog

It’s not easy being green, but at least you can have fun doing it!

Call me unusual but I find that the simple tasks like weeding, woodwork, or mucking out the chook house are quite relaxing.  They are not too mentally challenging of physical in nature, and you can get lost in the task.  I find them peaceful, and calming.  All that is needed afterwards is a nice warm shower, a homebrew beer, and a homemade meal to finish off the day.

So here’s my question to you.

What do you do to relax when pursuing a simpler life?  Remembering that TV doesn’t count, so what meaningful hobby or activity de-stresses you?

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Filed Under: Green Psychology

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About Gavin Webber

Gavin Webber's daily goal is to live a more sustainable lifestyle, in an effort to reduce his family's environmental footprint so we can all make a difference for our children & future generations to come.

Learn more about him here and connect with him on Twitter, Facebook, and Google+.

Comments

  1. Alison says

    July 27, 2015 at 22:37

    I find spinning, especially with a spindle, very relaxing and meditative. I also thoroughly enjoy knitting and cannot imagine a day passing without doing at least a small amount of both. Luckily, I can walk whilst doing either of these pursuits so it is easy to fit into my daily life.

    Reply
  2. Natalie says

    July 27, 2015 at 23:35

    Sitting on a comfy chair with my feet up by a window with a refreshing drink (or treat!) and simply observing the scenery outside, paying especial attention to the sky, trees and birds. Sometimes I will play music on top of that. The key is to just listen without doing other things such as exercising, cooking, and planning. It is by fully immersing myself in the melodies and lyrics that I find the most enjoyment and relaxation. It is my favorite way to practice mindfulness! Love your podcasts, Gavin. They elevate my day-to-day house chores to pleasurable experiences! I can feel the love whenever I hear Kim and you speak. 🙂

    Reply
  3. curvywitchcurvyiwtch says

    July 28, 2015 at 07:33

    I hate doing it but scrubbing out the shower is a great way of taking myself away from everyday stress and achieving something positive. For real relaxation I’d pick watering the greenhouse, a glass of wine in the garden (if we ever get summer this year in the UK – 16 degrees C today!) or crochet, knitting or handsewing patchwork while watching a movie – I hope that doesn’t break the rules. 🙂

    Reply
  4. rabidlittlehippy says

    July 28, 2015 at 08:14

    Like Curvy witch, I like to watch TV whilst I crochet. Preferably programs I consider to be research. 😉 That’s one of the most relaxing things I can imagine doing. For deep satisfaction relaxation though, I love to be in the garden. I’ve been away from my gardens of late, battling life and all it brings so when I got into the garden again the other week and planted out 35 new strawberry plants, 20 asparagus crowns and some lily of the valley it felt amazing. Little to actually see (given how little of the above was actually visible above ground) but a deep satisfaction and peace I’d missed for months! And planting out garlic last month felt the same. 🙂

    Reply
  5. Lynda D says

    July 28, 2015 at 12:41

    Garndening and Reading. At the moment on weekends, i light my little chimnea outside and when its lovely and hot i grab the coffee and books/tablet and read away.

    Reply
  6. Mitty says

    July 30, 2015 at 02:59

    I love knitting and reading. In the summer, sitting on the porch watching the sunset is wonderfully relaxing.

    Reply

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About Gavin Webber

About Gavin Webber

An Ordinary Australian Man Who Has A Green Epiphany Whilst Watching A Documentary, Gets a Hybrid Car, Plants A Large Organic Vegetable Garden, Goes Totally Solar, Lowers Consumption, Feeds Composts Bins and Worms, Harvests Rainwater, Raises Chickens, Makes Cheese and Soap, and Eats Locally. All In The Effort To Reduce Our Family's Carbon Footprint So We Can Start Making A Difference For Our Children & Future Generations To Come.

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