Coming back home after work may make you dive into bedrotting or become a couch potato. However, that’s not just the only way to relax and unwind after finishing all the presentations and attending long meetings. While yoga and meditation serve as the best groundwork for lasting health, real wellness happens in the small moments between our busy days and peaceful nights. Here are 10 simple things that have actually transformed the lives of my students:
Three Deep Breaths: Your way to calm
Begin with three intentional breaths immediately when you finish work—and no, not just shallow ones; deep breaths where your belly rises and falls like ocean waves!
Ground Yourself: The earth is underneath your feet
According to Honey Bhargava, yoga instructor & fitness influencer, “This may sound silly, but grounding yourself by actually feeling your feet on the earth, even if you’re in shoes on pavement, is the best way to release tension. It is kind of remarkable how simply grounding ourselves can help us reconnect with something bigger.”
Release your Stress: Gentle neck rolls that work
Gently roll your neck around because we all carry our stress in our neck—all of the email, all of the deadlines, and all of the tightness lives in that muscle.
Water Rituals: Simple acts of mindful cleansing
Have a little water ritual, whether that’s brewing tea mindfully or simply washing your hands and really noticing the water; there was something very pure about drinking water, and water has an uncanny ability to cleanse not only dirt!
The Child’s Pose Moments: Nurture the kid in you
Give yourself permission to rest like a child. Drop into child’s pose for even 30 seconds—the point isn’t about flexibility; it’s about giving yourself the permission to rest.
Gratitude Practice: Rewire your brain for peace
End each day by practicing gratitude. Rather than laying in bed and worrying about what went wrong that day, name three good things. You will literally rewire your brain for peace level.
Digital Sunset: Create sacred boundaries with technology
Your phone and laptop have served you well all day long. Set boundaries and let them rest too.
Gentle Twists: Wring out the tension of the day
Do a few gentle seated twists each evening to literally wring out the day’s tension from your spine.
Aromatherapy Magic: Let scent work its magic
If you have essential oils, use them! Lavender for calm, eucalyptus for clarity – check in with your body and mind, as scent speaks right to your nervous system.
Tomorrow’s Intention: End today with a gentle purpose
And instead of worrying about what tomorrow will bring, set a gentle intention or a purpose – what kind of energy do you want to wake up to? These are not just all nice ideas; they are practical tools that actually work because they honor what your body and soul are asking for. Your future self will thank you tonight, even if you start with just one idea.
