5 Ways Modern Men Can Relax At Home
After a hard day in the office, physical work, or even digital creation, men need to unwind and de-stress – in my latest article, I look at 5 surefire ways to help you relax before the next day. Carry on reading to find out more.
Long days at work can take their toll on your mental health, and even seemingly innocuous events can give you unnecessary stress in life (family meet-ups, days out with friends, or even innocent shopping trips), so it is imperative you have ways to chill out after whatever the day as thrown at you. Almost endless possibilities are available to you, especially from the comfort of your home; in the following section, I will discuss my top 5.
Watching Movies or Shows
One of the best ways to relax at home is undoubtedly watching TV (hence the infamous “Netflix & Chill” statement). There is a vast amount of movies and shows to keep you entertained throughout the evening and beyond. Whether you still enjoy DVDs or Blu-rays or have ditched physical media in favour of streaming services, there will be something available to take you to another world, time, or event. Plus, thanks to the increased love of Asian TV shows available to view, you will not just be restricted to US and UK productions – arguably boosted by “Squid Game” sending the world into a spin with anything based in Korea and Japan (although, OldBoy kickstarted this love way back in 2003).
Gaming
Video games are one of the best ways to take your mind off daily life; gone are the days when it was a frowned upon (even mocked) pastime. Gaming is now a billion-pound industry, and almost everyone games in one way or another, whether it is a smartphone puzzle game, a Facebook building game (my Mom used to love Farmville and its ilk), or you are a fan of the latest console generation (such as the Switch) or even have a full-blown PC set up.
I am a huge gaming fan (starting way back with the ZX Spectrum, and it has progressed ever since), up to the point when I even got heavy into achievement hunting (check out my Xbox custom controller review).
There is no doubt that some games are so in-depth that if you have a busy lifestyle, it is hard to keep up, especially MMO RPGs, which are a huge time sink; even if you put in the hours, many of the mechanics are hard to grasp. To combat this, you could consider Skycoach, which connects you with an experienced professional player who will help to educate you on the inner workings of the game. After all, you do not want stress from a video game on top of your daily life troubles, too!
Another option is to purchase a handheld retro console, in which you can upload almost any game from your youth via a combination of emulators and ROMS (although be sure that you own the game in physical form to avoid any potential legal complications). You will be able to enjoy these retro classics on the move (even using save states to record your position, which would have been invaluable back in the day, albeit removing a lot of the difficulty, too).
Listening To Music
You can quickly bring your mind and body into a relaxed state by sticking on your favourite music – either popping in a CD (or LP if you are a fan of pure analog sound) or opting for YouTube or even the easy-to-use Apple music service. One of the most effective ways is to create yourself a personal playlist, selected depending on your mood (even better when combined with an Alexa).
Arts & Craft
You could even put your creativity hat on and start building something from scratch – it can be as simple as a table, unit, shelving, or chair to get the ball rolling. Alternatively, if you have an artistic bent, you can grab pencils, pens, or a paintbrush and begin drawing or painting. Choose something that you love in life (nature, architecture, movies, games, space), and your energy will flow through your fingertips. Whatever crafting you decide to go with, it will mask any drama in your life and allow you to relax with ease, especially knowing that at the end of each day, you can continue with your newfound hobby.
Reading
Finally, we have the timelessly effective option of the written word – grab yourself a book from your favourite author and enter a world of wonder and fantasy, transporting you to a distant land when your real-world stresses are a distant memory. Whether you are into thrillers, science-fiction, horror, or even a fan of fact-based books, there will be something for everyone. You can choose a real book (there is nothing quite like turning pages quickly as the story gets more intense) or even use a digital accessory such as a Kindle, so you can easily download books on the fly and carry a whole library of novels with you on your travels.
Overall
With these options of allowing you to relax at home after a hectic day, you will be more than prepared to allow your body and mind to relax before you hit the hay – you will wake up much more calm and ready to take on the next day, especially after a better nights sleep.
What are your thoughts on my latest lifestyle guide? Let me know what you think in the comments section below.
