The Relaxation Station

Photo by Radek Grzybowski on Unsplash

Relaxation hasn’t changed much for me over the years. Whenever I feel overwhelmed by my daily life, I get under my fuzzy blanket, snuggle down onto the couch and read my book. If it’s been one of those days and I get home and can’t seem to concentrate on the words on the page, then I turn on the tv and flip through stations. Or streaming services now that has become a thing.

Back in the day, when I listened to music on a more regular basis, I’d sometimes stick my iPod on and listen to a few tunes. I had one of those Nanos, the little square ones that only held 1,000 or so songs. It didn’t hold a lot to be honest, but it seemed like a lot at the time. I wish they still made the iPod Nano because I thought the design looked sleek and didn’t take up a lot of room, making it easy for me to stick it in my pocket. Very handy for when I was traipsing across the college campus. I’ll have to save up some money for a new iPod someday. They don’t look half as nice as my Nano, in fact they look more like cell phones (I always think my co-worker has a second cell phone when she has hers out until I realize it’s an iPod — I’m so dumb sometimes.), but it’d be nice to listen to songs again, even though I can do that from my cell phone.

Now that I have a smartphone (surprisingly, I’ve only had one since 2019, don’t judge me for being late to the party), the way I relax has expanded ever so slightly. Lately, I’ve become obsessed with taking baths — something that my husband got me into since he’s into baths. I’ll find a good podcast or some nature sounds and listen to that while I soak in the tub. If I’m listening to nature sounds, I’ll sometimes read a book, other times, I just lay there and enjoy the hot water. Sometimes I’ll even find something I like on YouTube and listen to that.

Writing this has made me realize that my methods of relaxation has changed over the years. Maybe it’s because I’m older and have a different set of responsibilities, or even because I’m married with a house and a dog and how I relax is different. Whatever the case, my need for relaxation has definitely morphed and changed!

How do you relax at the end of the day?