SUNNY SIDE UP | 5 things to do when you need to recharge after a long week

With years and experience, I have began to really connect with myself. I know when I’m fine, I know when I need to push myself, and I know when I need a little time to myself to re-energize my batteries.

I think it’s safe to say I’m an introvert, but that doesn’t mean I like to cower away into my home with the curtains drawn and never stepping foot outside. It simply means I get my energy from being alone and filling my time up with things that I like to do, as opposed to an introvert who thrives off of friends, activities, groups of people, and socializing.

But I think it goes without saying that both introverts and extroverts need a break every once in a while.

And after a pretty hectic week, I had found myself really needing to take a day to myself, get some household chores done, and get back into the right mindset for the upcoming week.

So if you’re finding yourself a bit overwhelmed too easily, without energy, having a long week, or just emotionally drained, here are some tips I have for you when you’re taking a day to yourself!

01. When you wake up, get dressed

I’ve taken a lot of day-vacations at home by myself, and one thing that I always did was stay in my pajamas all day. But that’s a big n-o. You’re more likely to feel productive, and overall better about yourself when you take that extra step to get ready in the morning.

I wanted to be productive on my day off this week, so I took a nice relaxing shower first thing in the morning, followed by some lovely skin care and makeup, and then got dressed in something comfortable-yet-casual. I’m in the mood for fall right now so I put on a relaxed pair of jeans, my favorite sweater, and some cozy socks.

02. Have balance

When I decide to take some time alone, I try to make two very simple tasks to get done that day. One that is productive (Some examples are: doing laundry, cleaning up the bedroom, writing a few blog posts, doing a workout), and one that is simply something that I want to do (reading, watching Netflix, treating myself to a nice late, going shopping, etc).

I always try to have a full, relaxing, yet productive day when I have time to myself. That’s mostly because life gets sort of busy nowadays so any unexpected time off I have, it’s nice to get some things done that I normally don’t. For me, I tacked the bedroom and laundry.

Another Pro Tip: get your productive task done as early as possible in the day, so you can have the rest of the day to relax and have fun! Podcasts or playlists help to make the tasks more enjoyable!

03. Turn off technology

I find myself reaching for my phone and computer a lot when I have some down time, but on these occasions it’s honestly so great to detach myself from the rest of the world, and take a few moments to myself. You can take a walk, do some yoga, take a nice bath, cook, or whatever you would like. Try setting up a designated time and stick to it.

Pro Tip #2: Try to get outside and get some fresh air. It’s amazing and will do so much good!

04. Take some time do one thing you normally wouldn’t do that day.

In this case, it was finally time to crack down and study SEO, edit a lot of photos for upcoming posts all at once, catch up on some blogs I haven’t read in a while, and cook a nice meal for dinner. I usually don’t have time on Fridays for these sort of things, as Friday is a bit hectic in our house to get ready for the weekend (which usually means grocery shopping and deep cleaning the home). But I got them done!

05. Remember: it’s okay to not be okay.

 Even if you don’t do anything productive, and end up laying in bed all day watching Stranger Things and eating junk food, it’s okay. Everyone needs to recharge in their own way. If your week has been exceptionally difficult and you have no energy to get out of bed, take a day to yourself. Don’t feel guilty for not getting up and completing thirty different tasks. Do what makes you feel good.

What are some things you like to do when you have a day off to yourself? Give me some ideas in the comment section!

And as always, thanks for reading!