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I don’t think I remember the last time I was in the bathroom and didn’t hear a knock at the door. And it’s usually always just as I begin to savour the silence too. My fellow parents, we know all too well how important having our own space can be. But even with this knowledge, a lot of us don’t take action and craft ourselves a much-needed sanctuary. But recently, I made a few changes to my home and made myself a little nook, and it’s honestly been like a vacation. Here’s what you’ll need to do to follow in my footsteps and reap the refreshing benefits of de-stressing.
Set a purpose
The purpose of my sanctuary was to read and sometimes nap. So naturally, my little nook was promptly fitted with a large bookcase (purely fiction), some flexible lamps, blockout curtains, and a large and comfy daybed. The first two elements were included to ensure that I can read whenever I like, and the latter two are there for napping. Funnily enough, however, all four of these elements work so well at keeping me relaxed that what usually ends up happening is I go from reading to falling asleep and vice versa. Once I woke up from a particularly luxurious nap and the curtains were drawn so naturally, I had no sense of time. I stumbled out into the kitchen to realise that my entire family was in the middle of a take-away dinner, having ordered food after discovering I’d fallen asleep and deciding that nobody else wanted to cook. In essence, I suppose my chosen purpose has been achieved!
Of course, there are a myriad of other purposes you can choose from, which include designing an art studio or a similar space for creation, or simply just a space for personal study or watching television. So long as this space will facilitate your personal de-stressing.
Remove distractions
You may be wondering where my phone was in the story of the luxurious nap, and the short answer is that my phone is not allowed in my nook. The long answer is that de-stressing cannot occur if you’re surrounded by distractions and to me, technology and social media can be two of the most debilitating present-day distractions. So phones and computers aren’t allowed in my nook, alongside animals and children. Removing all of these unnecessary distractions has allowed me to fully immerse myself in my room’s chosen purpose, as well as also aiding in the passive development of mindful practices like focusing on the task at hand and staying in the present moment. If you’re able to set strict ground rules surrounding your personal sanctuary, chances are high that that sanctuary will be a highly effective environment when it comes to alleviating your personal stresses.
Introduce houseplants
I’ve recently been reading up on the health benefits of houseplants, and have decided to start integrating houseplants into my home in a big way, but of course, I started with my little sanctuary. I started a few months ago, with a small family of seven stout succulents sitting on my window sill in a petite line, every single one of them in a different coloured pot for personal character. Admittedly, it started off as a small method of introducing a little personal touch into my sanctuary, but I’ve realised that since their introduction into my space, I got a touch of joy every time I checked up on them.
Taking care of them became a bit of a mindful, low-maintenance hobby, and so I soon decided to start sharing this whole new frontier with my family. Now we have two maidenhair ferns in our bathroom, a spider plant in the kitchen, and a happy monstera sitting in a pool of endless sunshine on our desktop. These little plants have totally boosted the atmosphere of the rooms they occupy and our home as a whole, and just those seven little succulents have worked wonders for my headspace.
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The process that I followed when it came to creating my nook was most definitely ‘trial and error’-based, and I also need to highlight the subjectivity of this process once more. Creating a space where you can personally de-stress is naturally going to be highly subjective, and you owe it to yourself to take some time and think about what you’d really like to incorporate into a space that’s all yours. Just be sure that it is strictly all yours!