How I Reset at the End of a Long Day

We all know some days seem to go on much longer than others. It’s an unfortunate truth of being human. And typically, those days aren’t good days.

So, how do you recover from a long day? I’ve got a few ideas.

Avoid Alcohol

I know, I know. After a long day, all I want is a nice Angry Orchard or Not Your Father’s Root Beer. But the best thing is to drink lots of water. Alcohol, especially right before bed, makes it harder to get to sleep and stay asleep. And sleep is exactly what you need after a long day, so poor yourself a cold glass of water instead.

Read

I find it really helpful to get out of my head after a long day. My commute isn’t very long, which I’m appreciative of, but it means I don’t have a ton of time to decompress and stop thinking about work. So the easiest way for me to forget about everything I need to do is by jumping into another person’s story! Right now I’m reading a trashy Nicholas Sparks book (#noshame) because it easily captures my attention and helps me forget about the day. I wouldn’t recommend something super confusing like Game of Thrones.

Avoid Blogging and Other Big Decision-Making Situations

Don’t get me wrong, I love my blog. But it gets overwhelming. After a long day, I feel super burnt out, and big decisions are the last things I want to make. With my blog, every decision is a big decision, because a) it’s my brand, and b) I’m the only one making these decisions. So I avoid it altogether and spend my time elsewhere.

Watch Television

I love binge-watching stuff on Netflix and HBO NOW. There’s some really good, thought-provoking documentaries, some really funny tv shows, and some downright crap that’s surprisingly entertaining. As long as it gets me out of my head (similar to reading), I’m good with it. There’s nothing like sitting down for dinner with Sean while watching something on tv. Which brings me to my next point…

Eat Something Healthy

Emphasis on the word healthy. Sean and I are currently working on avoiding sugar, which is really difficult, but I’ve already started to feel better about my eating habits. I prefer not to cook when I’m stressed, so I eat something that’s already been made. But if you cook to de-stress, do that! Just make sure it’s healthy. Your body will thank you.

Run (or Exercise in General)

I used to hate running. I still don’t like it, but it’s not nearly as bad as it was before I started Couch to 5K. I look forward to it now (as long as it isn’t too hot outside) because it really helps me de-stress. I plug in a podcast and spend 30-or-so minutes out in the neighborhood. It really helps me get out of my head.

Clean

If there’s a day when I don’t feel like I’ve actually gotten anything done, I need to feel productive when I get home. Enter: cleaning. It not only helps me feel better about my living space, but it makes me feel productive, too! Whether it’s cleaning out your closet and achieving a capsule wardrobe or vacuuming up all of the dog and cat hair in your carpet, you’ll thank yourself for it. (So will your allergies.)

How do you reset after a long day? I’d love to hear your tips! Let me know in the comments.