Stress and anxiety are rife nowadays and no one is immune. Here are some ideas how to chill out and unplug for ultimate relaxation. I have a serious phone addiction that I have been battling for quite some time now. If you happened to read my previous post on “Phubbing” you will know that I have tried to cut down on my phone usage in the past and it did work for some time. I do feel like my old habits started to reform and I am glued to my phone all the time again. I really notice my mood being affected and I feel this subconscious urge to check my phone every few minutes when I’m not already on it! That is why I am writing this post, so that I can help others to chill out and unplug for relaxation.

Apart from the phone seemingly taking over my life with its constant need for my attention, I have 2 babies under 3 who are at home as it is the summer and they are most likely noticing my attention span waning. I have been taking baby steps to unplug from my phone at least a couple of hours a day over the last couple of weeks. I have felt a sense of relief and a genuine feeling of freedom when I hose to leave my phone at home. I would make sure to leave the phone at home and head out for a couple of hours with the kids, enjoying my time with them and giving them my undivided attention while enjoying the scenery and chatting to new people. I began craving that time away from my phone and really being present with my babies and the lovely feeling of being unplugged and chilled out. This has been a real eye-opener for me so if you are feeling like you need to chill out and unplug for the ultimate relaxation then I genuinely believe you need to remove yourself from your phone and devices or anything else that distracts you and demands your attention.

Here are some steps to help you on your way –

1 Arrange a couple of hours free time every day where you can unplug your electronics, remove any annoying distractions and clear your mind. Do something you enjoy that makes you happy and relaxed. A few examples are – a walk in the park, a guided meditation, take a bath, go to the beach, play in the garden with the kids or go swimming in the lake.

2. Dedicate your free time to yourself and your loved ones. Self care is so important in this one precious life we have. We need to let ourselves relax properly, without the stresses of work, too many unnecessary commitments and plans or giving too much of ourselves to others. Check out my previous blog post on self care for more inspiration here.

3. Remove negative thought patterns and adapt a positive mindset. The more positive thoughts you can muster, the better your mood will be and vice versa. If you are caught up in a negative thought train, you will only manifest more negativity. See my blog post on the subject here.

4. Consider taking up a craft or hobby to ease your mind, chill out and unplug for ultimate relaxation. What crafts do you enjoy? Would you consider painting, knitting, scrapbooking, beading or something along those lines? Do you have a hobby you loved when you were younger or always wanted to take up? Why not just go for it?! It is a wonderful way to relax, enjoy yourself and unplug while relaxing. The satisfaction of doing something rewarding is a great way to chill out and it can be therapeutic in many ways.

5. If you are feeling stressed about a current situation, try to remove yourself from that by only thinking of the positive aspects of your life. Gratitude is an extremely powerful emotion. Try to think of 10 things you are grateful for every morning and repeat this process. You will soon realise that there are so many more things to be grateful for and that it is best not to sweat the small stuff. If it is something beyond your control, it is ok to get help. Sometimes you just need to talk about things and have someone listen and give unbiased advice. Seeing a therapist could be a way to release negative emotions and stress. Check out my post on gratitude and how it changed my life here.

6. If you are looking to relax and unwind completely, then hypnosis may be a path worth taking. I delved into self-hypnosis many years ago and it was a life-changing experience. I had read a book about a man who hypnotised himself to lose 220 pounds without dieting, strangely enough. It was called “Visualisation for Weightloss”. I was completely intrigued by the power of your own thoughts and I had also read a couple of books about mind control such as “The Power of your Subconscious Mind”. They both mentioned a form of tapping into the subconscious mind via meditation/hypnosis and the repetition of words. Self hypnosis sounds a little odd at first but once yo try it, it is incredibly relaxing and also serves a brilliant purpose. Why not try a de-stress hypnosis download? I tried one of those when I was over-stressed in my old job and it was mind blowing. I felt so relaxed it was as though I were floating on a cloud. The one I used was by Dr Steve G Jones and I think it only cost me a dollar or something. You can even download free ones if you google free online hypnosis downloads. You need to give yourself an hour or so with absolutely no distractions and some headphones. Then lie down flat for ultimate relaxation. You will be free to unplug at any time if you need to.

7. One hour before bed every night, put your phone away. Don’t have it beside the bed or under the pillow where you will be tempted to check it. An even better idea would be to leave it in another room. Invest in an alarm clock if you are using the alarm as your excuse to huddle into bed with the phone. If at all possible, avoid having to check your phone first thing in the morning too. Have a nice calming ritual where you read a book, meditate or do hypnosis before bed for a lovely deep sleep. In the morning, make yourself a nice breakfast, do some light stretching or yoga and practice gratitude, maybe even start a gratitude journal. Something other than watching tv, reading emails or going online. Stay away from your phone for the hour before and after bed.

8. Arrange time with friends and loved ones as much as possible. They are your tribe, your love, your world. Nothing should stop you from spending quality time with your favourite people. It is comforting, relaxing and you can genuinely chill out and be yourself. Laughter is the best medicine for everything so let loose and have fun! Unplug your phone, take your time and make sure you don’t have to rush. Just live in the moment. They will be your most precious memories of all time.

9. Appreciate the things you have and don’t always be yearning for more. I understand ambition and success but it doesn’t have to rule every waking minute of your life. Sure, I know your career or money and lifestyle are important. They are not the be all and end all of everything. Live in the moment. It is easy to be always thinking of tomorrow and what you are striving towards but what you need is to enjoy being present, without a care in the world. Live for the day as they say. Carpe Diem!

10. Do more of what makes you happy and allow yourself to be happy. That is what life is all about. You can be happy, even during times of stress. The best way to chill out and be happy is to be grateful for what you already have, live in the present and enjoy spending time with loved ones being yourself. Read my post on How I Choose to be Happy Daily for tips on how to be happy, even when you are feeling low. If you are feeling depressed then ask for help. It is so important to take care of yourself and your emotions, especially when it gets too much. Talk to your doctor if you can’t shake a feeling of unhappiness. Depression is a medical condition and needs to be treated as one.

I hope you enjoy the benefits of my 10 Ways to chill out and unplug for ultimate relaxation. Let me know how it goes for you and if you have any other great relaxation tips or techniques you can add to the list! I appreciate your feedback 🙂

Here’s to a more relaxed and chilled out life !

Ciara xxx