Creating a bit of a routine for my time off may sound odd, but it is one of the best things I have done for myself!

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In a day and age where we pride ourselves on being busy and successful, it is incredibly important to remember the need for down time. It becomes even more important for those amazing lads and ladettes who have children, a side hustle as well as their full time job, and for anyone who works for themselves. Needless to say, in the last few years of transitioning into working for myself, I have had to learn the importance of taking time off myself.

Time off doesn’t necessarily have to mean going on a road trip, or booking yourself in for a massage. Of course I welcome these options, but most of the time, taking time for myself simply involves thinking about myself and setting aside some time to get what I need to get done outside of my work. I like to call it ‘life admin’. On a weekly basis, I spend at least one morning doing things for myself.

I function best with some sort of routine, so I have developed a bit of a routine for my time off too.

In an effort to strike a healthy balance between errands and ‘me time’, my time off has become a little more structured than before.

I like to start most mornings off with a workout. Day off or not, I will try and fit a work out in. After a good hour and a half gymnastic, handstand or strength class at the gym, I get myself ready to spend a few hours on my day off at a local shopping precinct. Recently, I have been rediscovering the new offerings at Hawaiian’s Mezz in Mt Hawthorn. The centre is just a short drive from home, and packs everything I need into a space that celebrates the alfresco lifestyle. If there is one thing I love about Perth, it is our climate and our inherent need to celebrate it!

After my morning work out, I like to take my time running my errands. If I don’t, it feels like work and negates the point of taking some time off! Teaching myself to slow the pace has worked wonders for my stress levels. Before getting my food shopping done, I always spend some time feeding the shopaholic in me, and fitting in a little window shopping. At The Mezz, I make a point of popping by Torso Boutique (they have such a great range of Thurley!), and Granite Lane for a good dose of interior inspo. Who doesn’t feel amazing twirling around in a gorgeous dress or buying a new cushion for the cushion collection?! Now that Bonnie and Clyde has relocated there, I know I will be stopping by there every time too!

Cruising through my errands gives me the best of both worlds – some time to enjoy myself, and some time to get what I need to do done.

After my window shopping and errand running, I like to stop somewhere to grab a bite to eat. A lot of people have a complex about eating out alone, but mastering the art of enjoying your own company is really liberating! On my days off, I enjoy sitting down to a good meal and people watching/flicking through a mag/writing out ideas and to do lists. Forcing myself to spend more time away from the computer is a good thing. If I want to go all out, some cold meats and an Aperol spritz from Spritz go down an absolute treat. Their street frontage on Scarborough Beach Road means there is plenty of people watching to be done too.

Post meal and post food shopping, I always stop to pick up some fresh blooms for the house. Setting up my week with a freshly stocked fridge and pantry, and some beautiful, mood-lifting flowers, really helps me to get into routine. Plus, who doesn’t love brightening their home with flowers and greenery?! Flower shopping at Code Bloom kills two birds with one stone, as I can browse the gift store while I wait for my flowers to be made up. Win, win.

It may sound odd to have a routine for my days off, but it has worked really well for me.

Does anyone else have a routine for their time off? What do you get up to and where do you go?

 

** This post was written in collaboration with Hawaiian’s Mezz in Mt Hawthorn. All opinions are my own and have not been influenced by other parties.