As a full-time master’s student, mother of a 3-year-old daughter, and a blogger, life can be stressful, but I have found things that help me relax, which I wanted to share with you. I also collaborated with Alayjah who is a lifestyle blogger over at Simply Lay, so be sure to check out her post for tips on How To Relieve Stress.

Masks

Once a week I like to have a pamper night, and I have previously shared my Perfect Pamper Night. For my pamper night I like using masks including face, hair, hand, and foot masks. Using a mask once a week is a relaxing experience and at the same time I am taking care of myself too. When wearing a mask, I also like to watch Netflix, which I will go into more detail later in this post.

 

Makeup Looks

I love doing my makeup, but during the week I usually do not have enough time to do more than a simple makeup look which consists of foundation, blush, mascara, and a lip product. However, on the weekends I have more time to do my makeup, and I especially love creating makeup looks for my blog. Along with expressing my creativity, I find the process of creating a makeup look for my blog relaxing. On the weekends I am not pressed for time, and I can spend all the time I need doing something I enjoy. I shared my latest Pride Makeup Look, which I did before having lunch at my boyfriend’s mother’s garden house one weekend last month.

 

Audiobooks

Since I am often busy with my studies and taking care of my daughter, I tend to not have much free time to sit down and read a book. I then discovered the world of audiobooks as well as Libby where I can listen to them for free, and they are now my preferred method for reading since I can listen to a book while walking to my daughter’s kindergarten or while doing chores. Audiobooks take the stress off of finding time to sit down to read since I can listen to an audiobook throughout the day. I also find being read to a relaxing experience and it is especially nice when the narrator has a soothing voice.

 

Self-Help Books

One genre of books that I still think are nice to sit down and read are self-help books. I can pick the book up whenever I have time, and I do not have to worry about following a specific plot. My favorite self-help books as of lately are about happiness including Happy by Fearne Cotton and The Little Book of Lykke by Meik Wiking, which are both about finding happiness in your daily life.

 

Netflix

As I mentioned in my first point, one of my go-to ways to relax is to watch a series on Netflix, and not too long ago I shared My Top Netflix Picks. Netflix helps me unwind from the stress of the real world for 30 minutes at a time and enter into another world where I can laugh, cry, or just be entertained.

 

Video Games

Another way I relax is to play video games. I usually play games on my laptop, and a few of my favorites are Skyrim, The Sims 4, and any Telltale game. With Skyrim, I can explore a different world and be a hero, and The Sims 4 I can live however I want. Along with my laptop, I have a Nintendo 3DS and a Switch, and I enjoy playing Kirby, Pokemon, and Crash Bandicoot games. I find that playing video games helps me to relieve stress especially casual games that I can pick up and play for an hour or so at a time.

 

Gardening

The last way I relax is by gardening. Last year I took over my boyfriend’s mother’s greenhouse, and this year I am growing tomatoes, cucumbers, and lettuce in it, and outside of the greenhouse is strawberries, raspberries, currants, and blueberries. I find the process of taking care of the plants and picking the berries relaxing because I am out in nature and my attention is focused on the plants.

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How do you relax after a stressful day?