After a long day, it is so important for our well-being and mental health to take some time for ourselves to relax and slow down!
It is a privilege to have the time to do whatever we want at the end of the day. Some people do not have this chance.
But everyone should at least take a few minutes to rest in the evening. Work-life balance is vital for us to avoid burning out at some point.
You can’t always be doing things. You need to relax and slow down to give your brain and body the rest they deserve.
So when you can, take the time to disconnect and enjoy the little things in your evening and your life.
These are simple joys. And they have the power to enhance your happiness and well-being!
If you need some inspiration to find ideas of calming things you can do, here are 48 ways to relax and slow down after a long day.
Pick one, two, or more of these activities and you will finally be able to rest and enjoy your evening!
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48 ways to relax and slow down after a long day
- Take a bath or a hot shower. Taking a bath or even a shower is a great stress reliever. For me, it feels like my worries are pouring down the drain and I finally get the chance to rest and start fresh.
- Enjoy your favorite beverage. If you’re a tea lover like me, make yourself a hot cup of herbal tea at the end of the day. There’s something so comforting about enjoying it in the evening. It’s like a call for you to start slowing down for the night.
- Take a nap. After a long day at work, many people feel exhausted when they come back home. If you feel the same, allow yourself to take a nap. Your body deserves to rest. This is an amazing way to practice self-care!
- Ask your spouse to massage you. If you have the chance to live with loved ones, ask them if they can massage you. And if you’re alone at home, why not try a massage gun? It will relax your muscles and help you release tension!
- Do some yoga. Yoga is an amazing sport for you to reduce stress and has the power to calm your mind! Besides that, doing yoga helps improve your strength, flexibility, and health.
- Hug a loved one. After a long day, sometimes all we need is to hug someone we love. So do it often! And it will improve the relationship you have with your family members, so it’s a win-win!
- Pet your dog or cat. If you have an animal, petting them is a great way to slow down, because your brain will release endorphins. These are chemicals that help decrease stress and it will increase your mood instantly!
- Go for a walk outside. I love this one so much! Going for a walk outside, in your neighborhood or a park, is a great way to disconnect from everything that happened during the day. This is also a healthy habit to incorporate into your mornings if you have some extra time at hand.
- Watch the sunset. While you’re outside, why don’t you catch and admire the sunset? We should stop and enjoy the beautiful little things in life more often.
- Play a board game with your family. Board games are perfect to gather your family or friends and to make sure you have a fun and stress-free evening.
- Play video games with friends. If you’re not into board games, why don’t you try video games? I love video games! I find that playing on my Xbox helps me disconnect from work, think about something else, and relax.
- Make a list of all the things you’ve accomplished today. Doing that will give you a sense of accomplishment. You’ll have the opportunity to be proud of yourself. A great way to end the day!
- Try embroidery, crochet, or knitting. These activities are great because they allow you to be mindful and enjoy the present moment. And you get the chance to make beautiful creations.
- Watch your favorite show on Netflix. I’m not proud of it but I’ve spent so many nights binge-watching my favorite shows on Netflix. It’s not a mindful activity but it is so relaxing!
- Try a new movie you’ve been wanting to watch for a while. If you’re not into a particular show at the moment, why don’t you watch a movie that was on your to-watch list for a while? Stop procrastinating, now is the perfect time to watch it!
- Read a book. Books are amazing to help you disconnect from technology and the world. Reading a book at the end of the day is the perfect activity to slow down and stay away from screens! If you’re looking for recommendations, Goodbye Things and Essentialism are my favorite ones!
- Listen to an audiobook or a podcast. If you don’t like reading, you will probably prefer listening to an audiobook or a podcast. A great thing is that you can listen to audiobooks while doing another relaxing activity. You should listen to The Joy of Less! It is an amazing book and you can get it for free with your Audible trial!
- Make a face mask. Taking care of your skin and pampering yourself is super important for your mental health. And I find it to be an amazing way to relax, especially after a stressful and long day.
- Make a cake and savor every bite of it. For our health, we shouldn’t do it too often. But making a delicious cake and savoring every bite we take is so good for our mood. This one is my guilty pleasure!
- Read inspiring quotes. Reading quotes about various subjects is so inspiring and makes us reflect on life. This is one of my favorite mindful activities! If you don’t know where to find great quotes, start by reading these 50 awesome quotes about simple living!
- Light a candle. Lighting candles creates such a cozy atmosphere in a home, we should do it more often! But also make sure your candles aren’t toxic for you, so stay away from scented and paraffin wax candles. Soy candles are way better for instance!
- Go in the sun before it gets dark. This can be hard to achieve in the winter months but try to get some sunshine outside when you can. Many people have vitamin D deficiencies which can lead to serious health problems. But you can easily avoid it by going in the sun when you can.
- Listen to relaxing music. What better way to slow down and relax in the evening than listening to relaxing and calming music?
- Order a meal from your favorite restaurant. This one can be expensive if you consistently do this. But allow yourself to order from your favorite restaurant from time to time. You deserve it!
- Listen to the birds outside. If you live in a place where you can hear birds outside, you’re a lucky one! Listening to nature sounds is very grounding and relaxing. Why don’t you start enjoying them more often?
- Stop thinking about your work. This one is maybe one of the most important things to do to relax and slow down after a long day! To give your body and mind the chance to rest, it is necessary to stop thinking about your work. Give yourself a well-deserved break from it.
- Meditate. Meditation has so many benefits! But it is especially important to practice it after a long day as it will greatly reduce your anxiety. You will destress from the problems you had during the day and feel calmer.
- Open your windows. Opening your windows at the end of the day is a great way to detox your home and make it healthier. It is so tiny but yet, a great thing to do to take care of yourself! Don’t forget to enjoy the new refreshed air afterward.
- Call your best friend. Is there a better way to finish your day than by calling your best friend, and having a good laugh with them? You will feel happier and calmer after that.
- Start a puzzle. I love puzzles so much! These are so fun to complete, alone or with a friend. It is a pleasant meditative activity that relaxes your mind. And it has the benefit of enhancing your memory!
- Eat your dinner mindfully. After a long day at work, take the time to cook a healthy meal, and eat it as mindfully as possible. Do not rush, chew, enjoy the food, and take your time to swallow. It can improve your digestion, but it’s also a great way to slow down for the evening.
- Allow yourself to daydream. Enjoy your evenings by incorporating some daydreaming into them. Doing nothing at all except letting your mind wander will relieve a lot of stress. It will allow you to disconnect from work. I highly recommend this meditative activity to relax!
- Write in your journal. Journaling is the perfect evening activity for you to slow down! It helps you reflect on your day and put onto paper the worries you have. It can be a simple way of releasing stress and simplifying your life in general.
- Think about 5 things you are grateful for. Practicing gratitude daily greatly contributes to our happiness. And doing it, especially after a long day, will help you relax and slow down for the night.
- Go to sleep early. Sleep is so important for you to feel energized during the day. To get enough sleep at night, make sure to go to sleep early. You’ll feel more rested the following day!
- Get cozy under a warm blanket. I love Hygge, this Danish way of living that involves everything cozy. Blankets are perfect to create a Hygge, warm, and cozy atmosphere and to feel comfortable at home!
- Draw or paint a peaceful landscape. Evenings are also the perfect time to express yourself creatively. Choose a peaceful landscape to draw or paint and get to it. This is such a mindful and creative activity!
- Unplug from technology. If you’re working on a computer all day long, take advantage of the evening to unplug from your devices. It will give you a well-deserved break! Doing a digital detox even if it’s just for one evening is an excellent way to practice digital minimalism.
- Laugh. There are many reasons why laughter is good for you! It is good for the heart, reduces depression, boosts the immune system and so many others. This is something we should incorporate more into our days!
- Look at the sky and the stars at night. I’m guilty of not doing this one often enough. But admiring the sky and stars at night can give you a magical and peaceful moment for yourself. This is such a beautiful and calming activity for you to do by yourself or with your loved ones!
- Train yourself to breathe slowly. You can do this activity for as little as a few minutes, but it has great powers. Sit or lay down and try to breathe slowly. Focus on your breath only. You will be so much calmer after only a few breaths!
- Dance to your favorite tune. Choose your favorite song and dance to it. It will reduce your stress and lift your mood, try it! Dancing is such an easy way to get some exercise and it’s also a fun thing to do when you are bored at home.
- Tell your spouse how you spent your day and ask them how theirs was. Talking to your spouse at the end of the day will not only improve your relationship. It’s an opportunity for both of you to tell each other what’s on your heart and find a solution to your problems. That’s a great way to get a new perspective on things and release stress.
- Stretch. If you felt stressed during the day, chances are your muscles are tense by the time you get back home. Stretching will relax your muscles and increase your flexibility, and it’s also a good stress reliever. Also, try to be mindful while doing it, it will give you a mental break.
- Call a family member. Take advantage of the time you have in the evening to call a family member you are close to. Talking to them will be good for your heart and mind, and you will feel better for the rest of your day!
- If you have a fireplace, light a fire and enjoy the warmth. This one is especially great for the wintertime. If you feel cold and you have a fireplace at home, light a fire, sit in front of it and enjoy it.
- Exfoliate your body and apply your favorite lotion. As I wrote earlier, it is important to take care of your skin, and this includes not only your face but your whole body. So take advantage of the evening to exfoliate and moisturize your body, and give it some love.
- Put your most comfortable clothes on, and don’t forget the cozy socks. Being at home after a long day means it’s time to relax and slow down. Lounge clothes are a must for that, so don’t forget to put them on after work.
There you go! Those were 48 ways to relax and slow down after a long day!
I hope you found some of these ideas helpful and that incorporating them into your evening helped you rest your mind and body!
Taking the time to do calming activities we enjoy at the end of the day is crucial to be able to wind down for the night and relieve stress.
This is an important step to take to make sure you then get a restorative night, and to start refreshed and energized the next day.
What are your favorite ways to relax and slow down after a stressful and long day?
I’d love to know how you like to spend your evenings! Let me know in the comments!
Ooooh no 19 is my fav haha XD but seriously this is a great list! I love doing a lot of things from this list, it is so necessary for our mental health and overall wellbeing
Probably one of my favorites as well haha!
Thank you so much, I’m happy you found this list helpful! 🙂
Thanks for sharing. These are really some great ways to just relax and slow down.
I’m glad it was useful to you! 🙂