You don't need to engage in the six o'clock swill to feel relaxed after a long day. Sure a tipple every so often is fine, but if you find yourself not being able to relax unless you have an alcoholic beverage in your hand, you should look for other activities to do.
1. Have a Soak
If you are looking to unwind after a hard day at work or on your feet, try taking a bath. Use bath salts or oils and scented candles to create the ultimate in luxury bathing. Tell the family to keep the noise down and don’t disturb you for half an hour while you enjoy a warm bath.
Rather than indulging in a big weekend out on the town, spend the money on a trip to a floatation tank. The large enclosed baths block out all distractions to let your mind and body completely rest in the Epsom salt solution that is similar to the Dead Sea.
2. Take a Stroll
Opt for some light exercise such as a walk or bike ride. You don’t need to go far from home; take the kids or dog down to your local park or even walk around the block a couple of times. Afterwards, have a glass of iced water with lemon or lime rather than your usual beer or wine.
3. Concentrate on the Food
Make your evening all about fine food rather than alcohol. Spend time thinking about an ingredient you don’t usually cook with or a recipe you haven’t tried before and put your efforts and alcohol budget into preparing a meal you can enjoy.
4. Imposter Drinks
There are plenty of refreshing drinks you can enjoy that don’t include alcohol. Think mocktails and sparkling non-alcoholic wine. During the warmer months, you could have a weekly mocktail night. Put together a list of mocktail recipes you want to try and choose a different one each week. Get the kids involved with buying the ingredients, freezing the ice and preparing the drinks. Ask everyone in the family to vote each week until you have a family favourite.
Try the range of non-alcoholic beer, wines and grape juices that are now available to find one you can have in place of your usual drink of choice. Otherwise, sparkling water with slices of citrus or fresh berries will allow you to sit back and relax with a refreshing drink.
5. Meditation
There are few more relaxing ways to spend your time than meditating. If you need to unwind from a stressful job or hectic family life, take up yoga or meditation. Reclaim your zen with some quiet meditation time, and you will be ready to face the next challenge.
6. Reading and Research
If you enjoy reading, grab a book or magazine and put your feet up for half an hour. If reading a novel isn’t something you enjoy, you could always spend time daydreaming and researching your next holiday. You’ll soon be relaxed thinking about the different ways you can enjoy your precious holiday time. Read some reviews and make some notes on the activities you would like to do while you’re away.
By finding one or two activities you find relaxing you will be able to do something other than reach for an alcoholic beverage when you want to unwind.
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