Monday Matters: 23 screen free ways to relax and recharge

This week, I’m sharing 23 ways to relax and recharge, which don’t involve scrolling on your phone, looking at things on your laptop, or staring at your TV screen. Why not make a list of your favourites in your bullet journal or notebook and choose one next time you need a break from modern day technology? (that’s every day for most of us!)

23 screen free activities to help you relax and recharge

1. Try ‘Progressive muscle relaxation‘ This technique involves tensing and then relaxing your muscles one by one and is a great way to release tension. Check out this link for a straightforward explanation of how to do it.
2. Curl up with a good book or magazine and a beverage of your choice Depending on the time of year and the weather, you might read outdoors in your garden or local park, in your favourite chair with an ice cold glass of water or under a blanket with a hot chocolate.
3. Spend time in nature This is one of my favourite ways to relax at any time of year but the autumn months are particularly beautiful to be outdoors in a park, woodland or forest setting. Put your phone in your bag or coat pocket in case of emergencies and use your senses to explore your environment. As long as you’re suitably dressed for the weather, I can almost guarantee you’ll fall in love with the peace and quiet and feel restored afterwards.
4. Connect with family or friends Choose to connect with people who make you feel good and whose company you enjoy. Activities could include meeting for coffee and cake, taking a walk in a scenic location, having lunch or an evening meal together in a restaurant or cafe or inviting people round for an informal dinner party (or takeaway if the thought of playing host for dinner fills you with dread!).
5. Arrange a games evening Playing games can be great fun and are often so absorbing that you’ll completely forget about your to do lists and responsibilities for a while. My husband and I love Scrabble, Yahtzee, Rummikub and card games such as Gin rummy or Cribbage.
6. Pamper yourself Depending on your preferences, this could involve a long soak in the bath, an invigorating shower and an all over body scrub, a face mask, a foot massage, manicure or pedicure or even a much needed lie in. See it as essential me time rather than self indulgence.
7. Look through a photograph album My husband and I did this on our wedding anniversary last month and it brough back some really happy memories of our special day. It’s also nice to look at holiday photos through the years or albums showing your children growing up.
8. Do some gardening Get some fresh air whilst giving your flower beds and pots some much needed attention. Even 20 minutes can make a real difference and leave you with an outdoor space to be proud of.
9. Sharpen your mind with a puzzle Why not unwind with a word or number puzzle, a jigsaw or a brain teaser. I love wordsearches, Sudoku, 1000 piece jigsaw puzzles and letter arrangement games.
10. Spend time with a pet Playing with or observing your furry four-legged friend is great for increasing your levels of seratonin and dopamine to calm and relax you. I love having snuggles with my hamster Millie, seeing her play in her digging tower or watching her collect treats which we hide around her cage.
11. Make a foodie treat We often make dishes from scratch but these are generally main meals and often involve time and energy. Making something indulgent for dessert or as an afternoon snack with a cuppa is often easier and much quicker. One of my favourites is malteser tiffin and the hardest bit is leaving it in the fridge long enough to set properly!
12. Enjoy a meal out with your partner, friends or family Letting someone else do the cooking for a change is a great way to rest and recharge. My husband and I love going for a vegetarian banquet at our favourite Asian fusion restaurant we try to make sure we focus on the food and the company by keeping our phones off the table.
13. Make time for your hobbies Most of us have at least one hobby that we absolutely love but how regularly do you make time for yours? Doing something creative after a busy day is a wonderful way to unwind and leave you feeling relaxed and ready for bed.
14. Focus on your breathing Have a look at this simple breathing technique (you don’t need to be feeling stressed to find it beneficial). When I first starting doing focused breathing and mini meditations, I found it really difficult to switch off, but now, after regular practise, it’s so much easier so don’t give up if your mind keeps bobbing about all over!
15. Listen to music I love to just sit with my eyes closed and listen to my favourite classical pieces or songs. Immersing myself in the music or really tuning in to the lyrics allows my mind to switch off from everything else. The tunes don’t need to be relaxing or soothing ones – anything you enjoy will help you hold your focus.
16. Do a meditative activity If you find sitting still to meditate difficult, doing a repetitive activity can help you reach a meditative state. Check out this post for 8 ideas to try.
17. Journal your thoughts and feelings Journalling is a great way to clear your mind by putting things down on paper. You might want to write about how your day has gone, what you’re looking forward to in the future or how you feel you are progressing towards your current goals. If the thought of getting started seems a little taunting, journalling prompts are a great way to get ideas on what to write about.
18. Switch to audio content Instead of scrolling through content on your phone, tablet or laptop and reading or watching videos, trying listening to audio content. This could be a podcast on a topic which interests you or an audiobook which you can listen to with your eyes closed.
19. Do something fun which you used to enjoy as a child When I was young, phones and tablets didn’t exist and the only screen time I had each day was watching TV or playing games on our Commodore 64 (hand up if you remember this state of the art machine from the 80s!). Aside from these, we used to make our own entertainment, playing outdoor games, doing creative projects, building things out of Lego, making a den under the dining table or playing with toys such as skipping ropes, space hoppers, dolls and Transformers. Whatever you used to do as a kid, think about how adult you can do the same or similar and make some fun plans for the weekend. You might buy a stunt kite and take it to a local hill on a windy day or buy some bubble mix and have a competition to see how can make the best or biggest bubble.
20. Sign up for an evening class A few years ago, I did a beginners photography course at my local college (which offered a qualification to go with it) and also a couple of ceramics classes where we made and glazed various clay creations. I thoroughly enjoyed all of these and it was great to meet and get to know like-minded individuals. The ceramics beginner and intermediate sessions were incredibly relaxing and it was so exciting seeing our items when they came out of the kiln. Wherever you live, there’s likely to be a range of creative classes in your local area and if not, you could get together with friends to try something new.
21. Join a choir Group singing is a wonderful way to de-stress and feel part of the community. There will probably be a range of choirs and musical societies available to join depending on the type of music and songs you prefer. A small cost may be incurred but I know from my own experience it’s a small price to pay for something which is very therapeutic and creates a real high.
22. Do something arty When we were young kids, most of us enjoyed art activities such as painting, drawing, making collages and constructing from junk materials. That’s because it was mainly about enjoying the creative process and experimenting with different techniques. As we get older, we tend to focus on the finished result and being happy with what we’ve made, rather than having fun as part of the process. So, get out your paints, markers, crayons, pencils and pens and simply explore and experiment.
23. Be a tourist in your home town or city (or one nearby) You’ve probably already visited a few places and buildings in your local area but do you know their and how your town or city has developed over time? A quick check on Tripadvisor and I’ve discovered a number of ideas for places to go, activities to try and history to read up on where I live in Sunderland.

I hope you’ve found today’s blog post useful and it’s given you plenty of ideas for relaxing activities which offer much needed screen free time. I would love to know which one is your favourite and why. And if you don’t feel like you have a space in your day to fit in any of the above, is it because your diary is genuinely completely full or is it because mindlessly scrolling is taking over your life right now?