By the time the end of the day rolls around, I’m left feeling pretty darn frazzled. And, while I used to relax by camping out on the couch and scrolling through my social accounts on my phone, I came to an earth-shattering realization. That activity didn’t really help me to wind down from my day. I had just spent hours on end in front of a computer screen—why was I insisting on staring at a screen even more?!

So, in an effort to help myself decompress from my day, I started identifying some activities that really made me feel relaxed and happy. Curious what I came up with? Well, I’ve rounded them up for you here!

8 ACTIVITIES THAT HELP ME UNWIND

1. KNITTING

I feel like I should preface this by admitting that I’m really not great at knitting. But, there’s something super therapeutic about that repetitive motion. So, even though I’m not making anything complicated (basically I’m just knitting a long expanse of loops that I hope eventually magically transforms into a scarf), I still find that the activity helps me to shut my brain down.

2. COLORING

I’ve mentioned my adult coloring book (does that make it sound like a pornographic coloring book? I promise, it’s not) a few times here. And, I learn to love it more and more each week. I’m a firm believer that you’re never too old to color. Plus, it really does help to ease some anxiety if you’re feeling stressed.

3. WALKING

Ty and I love walking the dog every evening. It’s our way to unwind, get outside, and catch each other up on anything that happened that day. Plus, it’s a great way to work some easy exercise into your daily routine!

4. EXERCISING

Alright, I’ll be the first to admit that I’ve never been much of a fitness freak. But, I do find that getting my body moving (even if it’s just stretching or lifting some free weights) does help me switch my brain off from work mode. And, it’s good for you! So, what more could you want?

5. NETFLIX

I mean, this had to be on the list somewhere. I’m all for giving your eyeballs a break from screens. But, there’s really no competition for watching something great (or mindless) on Netflix, is there?

6. PLANNING

This might seem a little counterintuitive, since you’re trying to step away from work. But, taking a few minutes at the end of my workday to jot down a list or schedule for the following day helps me to feel a little more relaxed about walking away from my desk—and also inspires me to tackle the next day!

7. READING

I’ve posted tons of book recommendations here on the blog, so you already know I love reading. Lately, I’ve been loving reading real books (you know the kind with paper and pages), rather than reading on my iPad. Again, it’s nice to not be staring at a screen for hours on end.

8. PUPPY SNUGGLES

How could I make this list without mentioning my ultimate stress reliever? Bertuzzi is the master of helping me kick back and relax. Is there anything better than having a snoozing mutt curled up on your lap? Plus, I think that playing with his soft, fluffy ears should be considered a legitimate form of therapy.

What do you do to unwind and decompress after a long day? I’m always looking for new things to try!

Until next time!