Osmosis as a Relaxation Tool
Just let it ooze in
As you go about integrating the balance part of your work/life balance program think about not thinking about it. Your goal after all is to feel better about what, and how, you are going about your daily life. Incorporating elements of a balance into the day slowly is how you’re most likely to get where you need to be.
Finding “real” relaxation
As you slowly find time, by taking little steps here and there, you can begin to offer yourself opportunities for relaxation. Finding that activity, or lack there of, lets you discover what fun was, is and can be. The thing is, however, there needs to be a slow progression into what this strange thing called relaxation and fun can be. If the fun activity is a hard and fast scheduled event then is it relaxation or just another thing to do on the old “to do list?”
If the event or activity needs scheduling, like a softball game, try to allow some time on either side of the game or practice. This way you’ll be “sliding” into the event rather than going straight to it from a meeting or errand. Let the relaxation just sort of seep in from the edges without you really knowing that it is happening.
Timing the relaxation
The whole point of this endeavor is to strike a balance; you don’t want to get too carried away with this relaxation thing. You may come to enjoy it a bit to much and reality will eventually pop up and kick you. But, given the option of being able to manipulate things a bit, try to get that ball game or practice lined up against a regular daily activity that is going to happen anyway.
Thursday dinner might be an example. Put your phone on message forwarding for a few hours around “fourish”, do some slow stretches/yoga/down a few beers before the game, pop in a premade dinner on real low heat (see Finding Time with Food) and off you go to the game or practice to return to a ready meal with the family (of course scheduling does show up here on the game timing but you get the idea.) Remember, relaxation is the aim. Go about this process in an easy manner. No rushing allowed. This is why “fourish”, no time limit on the stretching and no phone. After dinner you can turn the thing back on and get your phone fix.
The big idea behind relaxation
What you’re really trying to accomplish here is to decide what really makes you relaxed, happy and content. If it’s opera, try this same idea with a glass of wine and dinner with that special somebody. Take a long bath before the dinner, in place of the stretching idea. But, the real big thing is to not make it a real big thing. Think of the process as a piece of chocolate. It crunches at the beginning but after it softens up a bit it oozes with pleasure. Don’t make time to ooze, just let it find you around the edges and relaxation will find you whether you like it or not.