Life is hectic enough. However, when you have kids and a partner to tend to as well as holding down a full time job, then you’ll know the true definition of hectic. Add personal struggles and issues on top of this and yep – you guessed it. That is the thing though, whoever we are – life doesn’t stand still for anyone and this is all relative. Even if we have things relatively easy and simple it can still seem pretty hectic! To each, their own.
With so much going on, we need to find the time to chill out. In fact, we could do with learning a bit from the Buddhists. You may have noticed the word ‘Zen’ in the title – that comes from a specific school of Buddhism. Zen is all about self-control, meditation, insight and finding ourselves – not just for our own sake, but for the benefit of others. For you, this could be for the family. Nowadays, Zen has become a synonym for ‘chill’ which itself would be a colloquial word. Now, families are based in homes – these homes can be super hectic and add to the stresses of life, or they can become chilled zones that allow us to release our stress and get away from work life for a bit. They can also help relax our personal stresses and tensions. That won’t happen if zen is nowhere to be found in the home. We need the home to become a foundation for our escapes, because if we have no way to escape from outside life and the hectic activity of the working week it can lead to stress. Stress, in large doses will do a heck of a lot of damage to a body and a mind. Your home, with some work can become the perfect remedy to any stress caused by the outside world.
(source)The very first thing we can do to make our homes a more chilled out place is to clean up. Messy environments lend to messy minds. We need to make sure our homes are not just clean, but also tidy and organized. This does involve a bit of work and some elbow grease, but the rewards are amazing. Stick to a regular routine and get your house clean with the help of the family. A clean home is important as it provides sanctuary for the mind – thus allowing you to chill out.
A home that we can chill in first needs to be a home we are actually comfortable in. This could mean a lot of things. Firstly, it does mean a clean home, so carry on cleaning, tidying and organizing. It also means a home that is physically comfortable. Do you like relaxing in your armchair, or is it giving you pain? Do you have comfortable furniture to relax in? If not – you might need to go out and get some. Comfort is the basis of home, if there is no comfort, then you cannot relax. Comfort is also emotional, if you don’t feel like yourself in the home, you’ve got a few problems that need to be fixed. Make the home more ‘you’. Install art that you love and make space in your home for your hobbies. Every home you live in should be yours and showcase the personality of you and your family. Adding ornaments souvenirs and memories around the home can help with this.
Then we return to zen – what is meditation if not an escape? This doesn’t mean that you need to sit down ‘Indian style’ and start humming, it means you need to escape. Find hobbies that take your brain places. Watch good films and absorbing documentaries.
Combine reading with comfort, these books are worth reading when you need an escape and reading is one of the best hobbies there is for your mind! If you’re into music, get a nice speaker setup and your favorite tunes loaded up. There are plenty of ways to escape life in the home, through books, films, music, and other hobbies. You just need your home to become a foundation for your escapes. How do you achieve that? By getting it clean, adding your own personality to the home and by ensuring that you and your family are comfortable in the home.
(source)The home is the perfect place to escape from the world – and if you can add a bit of ‘zen’ to your surroundings through your actions or the design or contents of the home, you’ll be able to relax better than ever before.
