Have you ever just wanted to take a break from your responsibilities? Sometimes you need and want a break, but that’s not to say you do not want any of your responsibilities. You need a moment to recharge and reset to keep going. So, what is a break? And how do you get one?

A break is a moment of time you set aside just for you. For this moment, you are only responsible for you. Just take a moment to sit with that thought. It can be daunting to think about spending that time just with you or its exciting and you are looking forward to it. As women, we have a range of roles we play in our daily lives, but the most important one is being a nurturer, but to you. The age-old saying, ‘If you don’t have it to give to yourself, how do you expect to give it to another” applies to how we care for ourselves.

From a wellbeing perspective, it is important to engage in pleasurable activities daily because they help with increasing positive mood and minimizing stress levels. Pleasurable activities are anything that you find enjoyable. They do not have to be expensive or time-consuming. The activities can be things that you used to do when you were younger or activities you have been meaning to get around to but “never had the time.”

Some pleasurable activities include:

1. Eating a well-balanced meal (Homecooked Meal or Eating at your Favorite Restaurant)

   • Often, we forget to eat. Something so basic and yet it’s essential to us having the energy to make it through the day. It is important to nourish ourselves. If you find that it is harder to cook during the week or you are constantly eating on the go—try to make a few meals to carry you through the week. At the end of the week, you can reward yourself with dinner outside the home.

2. Take a bubble bath

   • Set some time aside in your week, even if it’s 10 minutes to take a bath. Grab your favorite body scrub or bath bomb and give yourself some much-needed TLC. Something as simple as a bath has many benefits including relaxation (mind and body) and increased breathing capacity.

3. Engage in a physical activity

   • Physical activity is much more than a tool to help with maintaining healthy body weight. Moving your body helps to build endorphins and it helps to reset your mood. Some activities can include yoga, running, dancing, and cycling.

4. Pamper yourself

   • Doing something nice for yourself reinforces your self-esteem and ability to relax. Pampering yourself also reinforces the feeling of being nurtured while feeling good about your body. Some services include massages, facials, mani/pedi, waxing, new hairstyle, etc.

*This post is dedicated to all the women who have influenced me throughout my life. Thank you!