Life continues to move quickly these days, and by the evening, parents can feel overwhelmed and exhausted. While it’s tempting to binge-watch a show and get into bed, adding some calming and relaxation techniques to our evening toolkit can help recharge our minds and bodies for the next day. From traditional ideas like journaling and meditation to new apps for growing virtual plants, here are a few ways you can relax and recharge at the end of a long day.
Journaling
Sometimes the best way to refresh and recharge is to simply get all of your thoughts down on paper. In this digital age, give virtual journaling a shot with Day One Journal (Android and iOS versions). A clean and simple interface, the free version allows you to write as much as you’d like and attach images and videos. You can also add tags to your posts to make searching through in the future more accessible. The Day One Journal also features a “dark mode” to make writing at night easier on the eyes.
Coloring
Remember feeling young and carefree with a coloring book and new crayons? Coloring for adults has taken off in an effort to recapture that sense of freedom and joy, so try for yourself with a coloring app. Happy Color is a great virtual way to feel like a kid again! This color-by-number style app boasts hundreds of pictures to choose from and a wide array of color palettes. When you’ve completed a picture, a short animation of your coloring journey plays; save this video to share with friends!
Guided Meditation
Aimed at sharpening your mind’s focus and living in the enjoyment of the present, meditation can be good for your mind, body, and soul. Through practice, you’ll learn to gently guide your mind away from distracting thoughts and instead focus on positive and productive ones. After a long, hard day, allowing yourself to be present in peace and noticing the world around you can be one of the best ways to recharge. Many people find that it’s hard to force their minds to calm down from all the energy that the day brings, so guided meditation is the best choice; while listening to your guide, you can shut off the decision-making part of your brain and simply listen and absorb. For a wide variety of free guided meditations, try Tara Brach. You can sort by category or just browse and find one that fits in your time constraints – there are options from 10 to 40 minutes. If you incorporate meditation often enough into your evenings, you’ll soon find that it becomes a highlight of your nightly routine.
Photo: milkos via 123RF
Jigsaw Puzzles
If sitting down to complete a relaxing jigsaw puzzle sounds like the perfect way to end your day, try Magic Jigsaw Puzzles (Android and iOS versions). With plenty of free puzzles to choose from, and a new free one added every day, you can spend your evenings watching those pieces magically pop into place. For a subscription fee, you can have access to all of the special puzzle packages and even create your own puzzles from images on your device! With beginner choices to master-level, this puzzle app is sure to calm your nerves at the end of a long day.
Calming Games
A great way to recharge at the end of the day is to allow your mind to tap into its more creative side. Some games can help you turn your attention from left-brain to right-brain, thus giving that overworked logical side a break! I Love Hue (Android and iOS versions) is a calming puzzle game where you reorder colored tiles to make a pleasing mosaic. You have a clear objective, so the game isn’t meandering, but you can work slowly and calmly while listening to the soothing music. If something that pairs your logic with creativity sounds appealing, try Flow Free (Android and iOS versions). By connecting colored pipes to fill various screens, you’ll find yourself in a rhythm of color and pattern that’s sure to calm your mind after a long day.
Virtual Garden
Gardening is a popular hobby for many reasons, not least of which is the relaxation it can bring. But 9:00 pm isn’t exactly the ideal gardening time, so instead, opt for the My Little Terrarium app. You can build your own virtual terrarium and add special plants and animal friends along the way. By planting certain kinds of flora, you’ll attract specific fauna to your world – complete easy tasks to bring more friends to your garden. Download Android and iOS versions to check in on your virtual plant and animal friends daily!
No matter what method you choose, making time for yourself to relax and recharge in the evening is vital; try one (or more!) of these virtual activities today!
