Ways to De-stress When Adulting Gets Overwhelming
Life can be hard sometimes! Whether it’s school, work, or an avalanche of adulting responsibilities, it’s easy to feel burned out and worn down. In times like these, it’s even more important to care for yourself — and grab a little pick-me-up when needed. Here are some ideas to help you in your quest for relaxation and rejuvenation!
1. Get Started with Mindfulness… As Taught by a Sloth
Sometimes, the best thing we can do for ourselves is just to slow down — but this simple act is often anything but easy. As deadlines loom and the pressure to be productive becomes overwhelming, how can we learn to be present, mindful, and kind to ourselves?
Perhaps the answer lies in the wisdom of the humble sloth — meet one that’ll lead you through the basics of mindfulness in this cheery and charming book! Practising mindfulness has been shown to help reduce stress, lower levels of depression, and improve overall well-being. Interestingly, mindfulness also improves our brain’s functionality in several ways. In this book, you’ll be guided through a series of light meditation exercises and daily reflections to show you the wonders of living the slow life, one snug-able page at a time.
Get the book here: eBook
Don’t stop at just clearing your head, though. The journey for self-nourishment should continue down to… your tummy!
2. Sip, Stir, and Blend Your Sorrows Away
In taking care of ourselves, it’s important to feed our bodies too. Aside from eating a healthy balanced diet, enjoying the process of preparing your food and eating it also nourishes your soul. To create a fun and joyful affair in the kitchen, we recommend a book to stimulate all your senses: Tequila Mockingbird: Cocktails with a Literary Twist, a recipe book for book-inspired drinks. This title takes the idea literally, turning some of our favourite literary works into foodie adventures.
But no recipe is complete without a demonstration, so one of our librarians has stepped in to fill that gap. Check out this video to watch him sip, stir, and blend his way through two of the book’s delicious — and wholesomely non-alcoholic! — literary delights.
Now that your senses have been set alight from creating the mocktails, it’s time to up the fun and excitement with… video games!
3. Uncover Hidden Stories in Your Video Games
Can’t seem to tear yourself away from boss fights, car races, unexplored mystical worlds and adventure quests? Finding the true value of your hobbies can elevate them from a guilty pleasure to a celebrated passion.
Often described as mindless, violent, or even childish, video games can sometimes seem like the guiltiest pleasures of them all. But as any gamer will tell you, they’re actually part of a rich, fascinating, and ever-evolving art form—one which holds immense potential as a storytelling medium. Watch this video to find out more about the wealth of narrative possibilities in video games — and pick up a few arguments for the next time you need to defend your Animal Crossing addiction!
So, you’re eating well, loving your hobbies, and taking time for a breather. What’s left? Perhaps it’s time to figure out the big questions in life. Wellness isn’t only about what you do — it’s also about why you do it: your motivations, passions, and reasons for living.
4. Look Deep Down Inside You
Take inspiration from the concept of Ikigai, a Japanese philosophy of living that represents both present happiness and hopes for the future through its emphasis on finding, and pursuing, the purpose in everything one does.
In How to Ikigai, author Tim Tamashiro explores questions of motivation and passion, tapping into traditional Japanese philosophy and real stories from the modern world to explain how to find your purpose, pursue it healthily, and how to use it to structure your life. This book promises to help you change the way you interact with the world and feel more excited to be alive.
Get the book here: eBook
We hope that these resources and suggestions will provide you with fresh perspectives or timely reminders that’ll make it easier for you to take a break and care for yourself the way you deserve!
