The weekend. You know you’re living a season of hustle when those words make you long for the solace of a slow Saturday morning. It’s often during those times of business that it becomes most important to take a deep breath and refresh your perspective on life.
I designed this list for my own reference so that when I find myself needing breathing space, I know what my ideal “refresh day” looks like. If you’re ever in need of a one-day retreat from the world, feel free to glance back at this for inspiration on how to design a day that’s equal parts pleasure and productivity. Bear in mind, however, that your idea of a lovely day will probably look far different than mine! Feel free to change up any part of this to suit your lifestyle.
Morning
When you wake up in the morning, brush back the curtains and open the windows. Take a deep breath of the cool morning air. Feel the sunlight on your skin. Keep the window open so that the breeze can fill the room with freshness. Walk to the bathroom, wash your face with a cloth, brush your teeth, and moisturize.
Sip a glass of water and savor the cleansing feeling as it washes down your throat. As your thoughts wander to the day ahead, be grateful for the grace of “a new day with no mistakes in it” — as Anne of Green Gables would say. Make your bed so the room looks neat again.
Now, turn on a playlist of soft music and roll out a yoga mat or blanket on the floor. Stretch for the sky. Touch your toes. Spend five minutes or so doing whatever stretches feel most soothing.
When your body feels warm, walk to the kitchen and make yourself a good breakfast. Whether it’s a cleansing smoothie or a bowl of sliced fruit and oatmeal or steaming scrambled eggs, arrange it on a plate and sit and eat it — do nothing else.
When you’re finished, grab your favorite notebook and open to a blank page. Set a timer and for fifteen minutes, do nothing but write stream-of-consciousness — anything and everything on your mind, all the annoying little tasks or stressors or irritating memories, get it on paper! Just keep writing. Once the brain lint is on paper, your mind will feel lighter.
Afternoon
After breakfast, the fun of the day begins! Turn on some good cheerful soul music or a podcast and allow yourself to putter around the house for a few hours. Declutter your space, reorganize drawers, freshen up your wardrobe, do laundry, wash makeup brushes, clean off surfaces, vacuum until the carpet feels clean under your bare feet.
With your afternoon cup of tea, glance over your morning pages and highlight whatever recurring tasks keep popping up. If you keep a planner, look over that too. Make a plan for the upcoming month and week. List out appointments, goals, meal plans, class assignments, and anything else that needs to be accomplished. Check up on your goals. Flip open your journal and do a spread of your favorite memories, quotes, and music from the past month/quarter.
For the rest of the day, you have plenty of options. Catch up on your emails, call an old friend and talk for hours, practice an instrument, work on your poetry or novel, sing as you wash the dishes, go outside and read a book. Do a workout you love — make sure to enjoy every minute of it. If there are homework assignments that keep looming in your mind, set a timer and get to work. If there is an upcoming project you’re worrying about, then make a plan of action.
Evening
When the sun begins to fade in the west, put all your work away. Find your headphones (and if you’re anything like me, you’ll have to untangle them) and your phone and take a long evening walk around your neighborhood or in a nearby park.
You’ll likely come up with some strokes of poetic genius or pray through a problem in life or, perhaps, you will think of nothing at all and instead find yourself admiring the flock of birds flitting across the colorful western sky. Any of the above is wonderful. Remember to breathe.
When you come back, take a hot shower. Rub coconut oil in the ends of your hair for smoothness. Rub lotion all over your body. Do a face-mask, if you like. When you feel ready, put on your comfiest set of pajamas and brew a cup of tea and sit down to watch the next episode in your favorite tv show. If you’re looking for a good choice for a cozy movie night, check out this post.
Before you crawl in bed, make a plan for tomorrow and let it be. Crawl into bed, pick up a good book, and read until your eyes get heavy. When you wake up tomorrow, you will feel refreshed and rejuvenated for the week ahead!
Have a lovely week,
<3 Olivia Grace
