8 Ways To Help Employees Unwind On National Relaxation Day

Life is full of challenges, and each day every individual is stressed out just a little bit more than the day before. Keeping the balance between work and personal life can be quite difficult, and the amount of weight on your shoulders can often feel overwhelming.

The national "Relaxation Holiday" is just one day to relax, but the concept of relaxing and self-care should be practiced every day. A company that invests in the mental wellness of its employees has fewer employees who suffer from burnout.

It's a great opportunity for employers to bring workplace stress levels down while also talking about the importance of daily self-care routines.

This article will talk about more national relaxation days and how to take a break from your busy schedule to relax.

When Is National Relaxation Day?

"Invest in rest."

On National Relaxation Day, August 15, rest and relaxation are the order of the day. It is observed to take a day off to relax without feeling guilty. It's a day to slow down, take some time to relax from the fast pace of modern life. It encourages you to wind down and take it easy to take care of yourself. However, it would help if you did not confuse it with other holidays such as “National Slacker Day”, which turned out to be a complementary holiday in Britain.

Usually, the hustle and bustle of work leave you on the verge of burnout, and there's never enough time to kick back and relax. National relaxation day promotes stress reduction and self-care programs through various meditation techniques and practices. It is a day when people refrain from doing anything stressful.

Why Should You Celebrate National Relaxation Day?

Everyone should take advantage of National Relaxation Day. With daily challenges posted to you, you are more susceptible to stress and other mental health problems. Everybody needs to take a break from time to time. Life today seems to be lived at a faster pace, and you all have responsibilities. It could be either work, family, financial responsibilities, or a combination. And you can put so much stress and pressure on your bodies and minds, which is why it is important to take time to recuperate so that you do not burn out.

"Tension is who you think you should be. Relaxation is who you are."

It is necessary to slow down and unwind to de-stress and find ways to relax. Only when you are inhaling the present will you be able to exhale the distractions of tomorrow. Anxiety and stress can have a toll on your mental and physical health.

Overwhelming work, financial stress, or personal matters can often lead to health ailments like high blood pressure, cardiovascular diseases, and many more. So cutting yourself some slack to relax can have a lot of health benefits and improve your overall wellness.

Thus, promoting the positive factors of celebrating the national relaxation day in the workplace can promote overall employees' wellness. It can prevent your employees' burnout and lead to much better productivity.

Suggested Read: Reimagining The Role of Leadership in Employee Wellness

Benefits Of Relaxing

Relaxing is healthy and helps relieve stress; however, it is subjective and can vary from person to person. For example, many might consider gaming as a relaxing technique, but if you're playing a game that frustrates you, it is not helping you to relax but rather stressing you out instead.

Thus, the ways or activities of relaxing depend on your view of relaxation, anything that will help you take control of your breathing pattern, which is often affected by stress. So when you are practicing different ways of relaxation, you are only allowing your oxygen to circulate in your body, which further leads to major health benefits.

Here are some of the few benefits of relaxing or taking a day off to relax -

Improved Mood and Concentration

When you are stressed, you cannot concentrate or think clearly. Your attention span further decreases since your mind is occupied. Relaxation techniques, however, allow you to focus at work and clear your mind. It also elevates your mood.

Keeps You Healthy

Stress can lead to burnout and exhaustion, which leads to a variety of health issues, both physical and mental. Many studies have shown that anxiety and stress are the main causes of health problems like high blood pressure, fatigue, and heart disease. Thus, being in a relaxed state of mind lowers your chances of getting sick and keeps you healthy.

Improves Your Sleep Cycle

A relaxed mind helps you to improve your sleep cycle. When you practice mindfulness meditation techniques, it helps you to relax and declutter your mind which often interferes with your mind. Engaging in such activities can shorten your time to fall asleep and increase your sleep quality.

Reduces Activities Of Stress Hormones

Relaxing is subjective and varies from person to person. It is also a great stress buster that helps to release built-up tension and reduce stress hormones in your body. It can help you deal with stress responses and lower your blood pressure levels and heart rate.

Increases Serotonin And Endorphins Levels

Science shows that laughing reduces stress and releases endorphins, which increase circulation and relieve muscles tension. Furthermore, it lowers your heart rate and blood pressure, thus calming you down a little bit.

Lowers Fatigue

Exhaustion both physical and emotional can lead to feeling worn out throughout the day making it impossible to enjoy anything. However, taking a break to relax can help you to decrease tension in your muscles, and slow your heart rate down. it also helps with fatigue as it promotes better sleep patterns.

How Do You Help Your Employees Relax?

Work shouldn't always be stressful or lead to burnout. Quite the contrary, those employees who are more relaxed perform better. In a relaxed state of mind, people are much more motivated and focused.

Since this holiday only occurs once a year, try to make the most of it by encouraging your employees to indulge themselves and relax. Help them remember how important self-care is while encouraging them to pamper themselves.

Here are a few ways you can help your employees to relax-

• Ask your employees what relaxation techniques work best for them in a survey.

• Since everyone has a different idea of relaxing, you can ask your employees what they think would make the work environment more conducive to relaxation.

• Share the summary of the best relaxation techniques in your next wellness program.

• Try to make your workplace ambiance a bit more laidback than usual. For example, host a lunch and learn where everyone can chill and share funny stories.

• Encourage your employees to be more mindful of their stress levels.

“Your mind will answer most questions if you learn to relax and wait for the answer. William S. Burroughs”

Eight Ways To Celebrate National Relaxation Day

"The time to relax is when you don't have time for it." -- Sydney Harris

Stress is one of the most common mental health issues among people who work. Taking a break from your hectic lifestyle to recuperate and rejuvenate your mind and body on national relaxation day will be a good start to de-stress and take better care of yourself. Since a lot of diseases and health issues are linked with stress, such as heart disease and high blood pressure so to prevent them, the key is simple i,e, simply relax.

There are many ways to celebrate relaxation day, but it is important to remember that the key to this day is to simply engage yourself and your employees in doing activities that are easy and release some of their stress. Here are some of the best ways you can help your employees to unwind and relax -

1. Breathe And Relax

When relaxing, the oxygen levels in the body are raised. Practicing deep breathing or breathwork counteracts the physical effects of stress, such as high blood pressure, a fast heart rate, and short, shallow breaths. Relaxation, tension reduction, and work-related stress can be achieved in seconds by taking deep, full breaths. They are the cornerstones of relaxation practices and work great for clearing the mind and gaining more clarity.

Another great way to practice deep breathing is stretching. Practicing stretching helps you to release built-up tensions and anxiety from your body. You can incorporate even meditation or yoga in your breath works to help you achieve a higher level of relaxation and peace of mind.

2. Indulge In A More Laid Back Activity

Indulge yourself in a more laidback activity that you can enjoy during the day. It can be spending the day watching tv, reading a book, or either a spa, yoga, or even meditation. You can get yourself a massage to release the stress from your body and get super relaxed. It also helps you to get better sleep and increases your energy levels to start your day with a more positive outlook. Either way, these are great ways to remove physical stress from your body.

Suggested read : 8 Surprising Benefits Of Introducing Meditation At Work

3. Liven Up Your Day With Laughter

According to scientific research, laughter can relieve stress, and Endorphins are released when we laugh, increasing circulation and reducing muscle tension. Again, it decreases your heart rate and blood pressure, vital for anyone who wants to feel a little calmer. You can indulge yourself in watching something funny or sharing funny incidents with your friends and colleagues.

Suggested read: 5 Top Benefits of Laughing At Work

4. Treat Yourself to Some Stress-Busting Food

To compensate for a bad mood or stress, it is only natural that you indulge yourself with unhealthy and junk food. But indulging yourself in guilt food will only lead to more health problems, and that is not what relaxing is about if it's going to cost you later.

Instead, if you fuel your body with some healthy and stress-busting food filled with vitamins and nutrients, it will further help to elevate your mood and energy levels, making you more relaxed and calm.

Suggested read: Food That Boosts Serotonin

5. Take A Digital Detox

A constant check of your phone or laptop for emails or the latest updates can drain your energy and make it difficult to relax. The best way to relax is to practice digital detox. Use this day to put away your mobile phone, unplug from the computer, and stay away from social media. Since everyone is so tech-focused nowadays, taking a break from it can be the best way to relax and focus on what makes you truly happy.

Suggested Read: 13 Tips To Celebrate National Day Of Unplugging 2022

6. Listen To Music that Soothes You

Studies have shown that simply listening to music is enough to calm people down and lower their stress levels. It is one of the best ways to calm and relax, and it also has its health benefits. Listening to soothing music can help lower your stress levels, hormones, blood pressure and slow your heart rate. You can take the day to simply lie down in your bedroom or living room and enjoy listening to your favorite music and relax.

Suggested Read: Sound Healing: A New Way To Wellness At Workplace

7. Explore The Outdoors

Spending time outdoors has many benefits on your mental health and is a great stress reliever. Walking or jogging can help you calm your mind and help you focus your attention more on your surroundings. Getting some exercise under the sun is also a great source of getting vitamin d which boosts your serotonin levels.

Taking a break from everyday life and enjoying nature can be quite therapeutic since one of the keys to relaxation is to do things you enjoy.

Suggested Read : How Can A Walking Meeting Boost The Health Of Employees?

8. Create Some Space

It is important to have your own space to relax or take a break from the hectic schedule. It is an important factor when it comes to relaxation. You can help your employees declutter their desks or workspace to create a more conducive environment for them to work and relax at the same time.

You can create a more zen office by promoting mindfulness and tranquility as a part of your work culture. It will not only benefit the employees but the company as well as it promotes positivity and creativity in the workplace, resulting in more productivity.

Suggested Read : 9 Budget-friendly Ideas To Create A Zen Office At The Workplace

Summing It Up

There are many other ways that you can relax and unwind. It is all about figuring out what works for you and what truly enables you to relax. Life is busy and stressful, and people often lose their sanity in the whirlwind of work and daily life chores.

It is essential to take a day to pause and relax. Doing so will only help you fuel up for the hard work that will come your way. It isn't every day that you are encouraged to relax.

Thus, on this national relaxation day, try to enjoy to the fullest to breathe fresh air amidst daily life's hustle and bustle.

I hope this article helped you to find ways to pamper yourself with all that you love to do to be relaxed.