Tag Archives: r&r

Maxi Dress, Max Style OOTD Bloopers

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Maxi Dress, Max Style OOTD Bloopers

Hello everyone and welcome to the Blooper Reel from my Maxi Dress, Max Style OOTD! I always look forward to taking OOTD pictures and TikTok videos, but was especially excited for this particular look. I had just got my hair done, was sporting a new favorite dress, and was feeling my goddamn self and have been every day since my appointment at the Shear Shop. It’s amazing what a new do can do to crank the ol’ self esteem up to eleven! The shots you are about to see definitely don’t fall under the feeling myself category but let’s take a look anyways:

Being self employed is a wonderful, beautiful thing. Not having PTO, however, freaking sucks lol. Because I’m losing money when I take a day off, it is a rarity for me to do so outside of holidays or being sick. This is not a good habit in the slightest because everyone needs a day or two off and one of my goals has been to be more lenient when I need a break. Which is why I am so happy to report that I am on staycation, baby!!!!! Outside of two easy peasy shifts, I have THREE full days off and I am ecstatic.

What am I going to do during my me time? Probs nothing but vegging out and enjoying every minute of it! Since mine and Johnny’s birthaversary, our weekends have been jam packed. We have legit had plans every weekend since June first and while it has been so much fun, it was exhausting and a staycation reprieve on my couch is exactly what the doctor (me) ordered. I plan on binging documentaries, TV shows Johnny has no interest in, and kicking it old school with my Nintendo 3DS. I recently acquired the only game in the Paper Mario series that I don’t have, Sticker Star, and playing it has been a blast. I can’t wait to utilize my couch time to the fullest and beat it! 😀

Staycation all I ever wanted, staycation got to stay home or however that one song goes. I’m stoked!!

What would you do during a staycation? Where would you go for a dream vacation? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

So Simple Self Care

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So Simple Self Care

Hello!! Saying that we live in a high stress world is an understatement and it can be hard to shake off problems that are anxiety provoking. I especially find this to be true for myself. I have an extremely demanding schedule, a lot of family responsibilities, and what often feels like minimal to no time for myself. When I do manage to squeeze in “me time”, I take it very seriously because it’s something that doesn’t happen frequently. That is my time to fully dive into self care mode and even though the way I choose to spend that time is simple, I always end up feeling refreshed afterwards:

My first order of business when it comes to self care is to put my phone somewhere I won’t see it. Out of sight, out of mind. As the social media manager for one of Ohio’s most prominent local celebrities, I am on my phone constantly and it always feels good to take a much needed break from it. Then, I can focus my attention completely on something else instead – even if it’s only watching a quick episode of a comfort show or polishing off a chapter in a book.

This is a method that I employ not just during speedy self care sessions but also when I am officially off the clock for the day. I think it is so easy to fall into the trap of being accessible whenever your phone pings simply because it’s right there. This can be incredibly draining and my rule of thumb is to save responses for times that aren’t dedicated to relaxing. Of course, emergencies are a different situation but you get the point.

I recently started doing Tai Chi with my mom and I absolutely LOVE it. It’s a gentle workout, yes, but the gentle movements are so effective. I can literally feel my body unlocking as we flow through the routine together and it’s almost like a mini massage. I spend countless hours at my computer every day and I can definitely tell that I feel less stiff since incorporating Tai Chi into my schedule. In fact, now when I have an all day computer day, I pencil in a few Tai Chi blocks for when I start feeling crampy. It has made a world of difference!

One change that I have added in the past few months is making breakfast every day. I used to be one of those people who NEVER would eat breakfast and now that it is a regular part of my routine, I genuinely don’t know why I didn’t start this earlier. After a few hours of work, I’ll prepare my breakfast once I get hungry and eat while watching an episode of Degrassi. I have found that I feel way less sluggish throughout the day, I don’t feel ravenous when it’s time for lunch or dinner, and have more motivation to take on the day as best as I can. I guess breakfast really is the most important meal of the day. 🙂

I am the proudest bunny mom to my sweet Melvin and Penelope and they truly are my instant serotonin boosters. Seriously, all I have to do is look at them and it automatically makes me smile from ear to ear. The power of the love between pets and the owners knows no bounds and I often spend my mini self care breaks with the buns. I’ll sit on the floor and give them ALL of the pets and cuddles that they will allow. After a few minutes, they have typically had their fill of affection and that’s fine. I always return back to my computer chair with the warm fuzzies and actual fuzzies – the bunnies shed like crazy!

While I value my more extravagant forms of self care like a trip to the hair or nail salon, they don’t happen all of the time. These mini self care breaks throughout the work day are small and simple enough that I can still accomplish everything I need and feel more refreshed while doing so!

What do you do for self care? How do you like to unwind after work? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

R&R Weekend

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R&R Weekend

Hello!! This past week was an incredibly busy one for yours truly. On top of my normal work schedule, I also worked two events for my boss, Tim. One to do a presentation for college students at Kent State University and another at the end of summer Misnyland picnic. Both were really fun to attend, but I was exhausted by the time I arrived home on Friday. All of my plans for cooking, cleaning, and weekend activities went out the window once I became one with my couch!

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Hanging with my plushie friend!

After a whirlwind picnic on Friday the 13th, Johnny and I deemed it necessary to have a weekend of R&R. And, in honor of said Friday the 13th, scary movies were in order! Normally, I like to do at least one activity with Johnny during the weekend and as nice as that is, it was so much nicer to laze about with my main squeeze. The only agenda being to actually agree on what horror movies to watch lol. I much prefer an atmospheric psychological thriller and movies to the likes of Saw. Johnny, on the other hand, loves ridiculous slashers like Scream and basically any B-list scary flick that has ever been made. Needless to say, we have very different tastes!

To satisfy both of our preferred horror, we compromised. As we should, we watched a Friday the 13th on the thirteenth. Then on Saturday we watched my pick followed by his. I chose an Australian movie called Run Rabbit Run which was pretty good. It was certainly a slow burn of a film and had some creepy vibes. Was it pure horror? Not especially, but I’m glad we watched it even though I wouldn’t watch it again. After the dreary aesthetic of Run Rabbit Run, we were definitely in the mood for something more fast paced, which brought us to Johnny’s selection…

As we browsed through our options on Netflix, one movie caught both of our eyes. It was called Thanksgiving. Because neither of us have ever seen a scary movie revolving around the holiday, Johnny wanted to give it a go. Even though I rolled my eyes about it, I’ve got to say – Thanksgiving was a total hoot. Long story short, a killer seeks revenge after a Black Friday massacre at one of the local superstores. It was goofy, it was cheesy, but it had the craziest kills that kept us jumping the entire time. We got scared, we had a ton of laughs, and I think Johnny’s pick blew mine out of the water.

As soon as September hit, Johnny and I shifted into spooky season mode. It is our tradition around this time of year to squeeze in as many scary movies as we can and I can’t wait to see what’s next!

What is your favorite scary movie? Have you seen anything in theaters recently? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

*Trying* To Take It Easy

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*Trying* To Take It Easy

Hello!! The irony has not been lost on me that the past two times that I had any time off from work were spent being sick. I spent my week long holiday break this winter with RSV and had another week off due to a nasty virus at the beginning of the month. It was a huge bummer to be sick over the holidays, but I’d be a liar if I said it wasn’t awesome having some time off this second time around! As someone who has been self employed for almost a decade, it is incredibly difficult for me to justify time off – even if it is for fun things like vacations. However, after enjoying being sick more than I probably should have, I realized that I really do need to make an effort to *try* to take it easier. So, I have been doing the following:

Sleeping In:

I have always been adamant about waking up as soon as my alarm goes off because I need my jam packed days to run like clockwork. This proved to be very hard after a whole week of getting up sans alarm, though. After my sick spell, I have given myself permission to hit the snooze or even sleep for another extra hour. And guess what? My days still are going without a hitch and I feel much more well rested too. This isn’t an every day thing, but I have been taking advantage of getting some extra shut eye on the days where I have a bit more wiggle room. I have noticed a huge difference in my energy levels and will absolutely continue with this!

Face Masks:

One of my sick day rituals was using face masks so I could feel some semblance of pampered while I was a gross, sweaty mess lol. This is another thing that I have been sticking with and I have enjoyed a weekly face mask since the beginning of March. I tend to do this as soon as I get home one day during the week and even though it’s only a twenty minute process, I see its merits. Rather than diving into the next thing I have to do (computer work, cooking dinner, cleaning), I am able to take those twenty minutes to recharge and continue going about my day. This is a win/win because I love doing skin care and I feel like it gives me a second wind until bedtime. It’s amazing what taking twenty minutes for you out of your day can do!

Making Plans:

I can’t tell you the amount of weekends I have spent doing literally nothing because I am too tired. Then, I would go about the work week feeling disappointed that Johnny and I didn’t do anything fun at all. While we still have our lazy weekends, we have both been making an effort to do more and have a good time during our time off. Within this past month alone, we have reincorporated date nights and I have tried my best to make plans (and keep them) with my friends. For a long while, I was going through the motions of the work week without much to look forward to once the weekend rolls around. Now, Johnny and I have been adding at least one fun outing to our weekend and it has been fantastic. On Mondays, I feel happy with the hang outs we’ve had and am eager to see what we’ll do the following weekend.

I have been on the grindset mindset for so long and, although these seem like small changes, they are huge to me. I plan on continuing with all of these improvements and adding new ways to make things easier for myself when I feel like I need it. I already notice a difference!

How do you take time for yourself? What are some improvements that you have made recently? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Sick AF

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Sick AF

Helloooo!!! There have been countless nasty bugs spreading around in my neck of the woods and, unfortunately, I caught a mega one. It all started this past Friday after Johnny and I returned home from our date night. Once we were back and settled in, I noticed that my throat was starting to feel a bit sore. We both chalked it up to the fluctuating temperatures because it’s been going from thirty to sixty degrees in a matter of a day. After playing some Diablo IV, I retired upstairs and went to bed assuming I would feel better the following day… Well, you know that old saying about assuming! *face palm*

When I woke up on Saturday, I felt like I got ran over by a truck. I was sore, feverish, and it fatigued me to move from Point A to Point B in the apartment. Even going to the bathroom which I could get to in under ten steps exhausted me. Normally, mine and Johnny’s designated “day of lay” is on Sunday and we literally do nothing. Over the weekend, we had a double day of lay and Johnny was so accommodating to his poor, sick wifey. He got me tons of blue Gatorade and even DoorDashed us Chipotle with claims that comfort food would help lol. ❤

By the time Monday rolled around, there was just no way going to work was possible and I felt no better than I did over the weekend. And, like my own personal Groundhog’s Day, the same thing happened on Tuesday too. It is Wednesday as I type this and I am finally feeling slightly better because I think I am transitioning into the congestion phase of the bug. I made the executive decision to call the week a wash so I can rest for the weekend because I have plans that I would be devastated if I missed. Here’s to hoping this bought of nasty will be done by then!

This week long sick spell has been a firm reminder that I need to start slowing down my work schedule. I really have been pushing myself too hard and am convinced that I got even sicker because of it. I am hoping to make changes for a lower key pace and am keeping my fingers crossed for that opportunity to present itself soon!

Have you been sick recently? What did you binge watch while recovering? I have been rewatching Euphoria and the Entertainment District arc of Demon Slayer. 🙂 I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

New Hair, Who Dis?

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New Hair, Who Dis?

Hello everyone!! This past Friday was an excellent day! I spent my morning and afternoon getting my hair done at the Shear Shop and had a slumber party with my bestie, Lea, that evening. I haven’t had a day off since the holidays so it was really nice to have a full day dedicated to some R&R and fun! As always, my amazing stylist, Anna, transformed my hair into something fresh and new and I am loving the results. That Pulp Riot color is absolutely everything! Check it out:

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^^^ Shout out to my husband for never taking a nice picture with me lol. Also peep a brand new OOTD coming soon from the above look!

Going to the Shear Shop is one of my favorite forms of self care. Spending time with Anna is like seeing a best friend/therapist and I have never once left her chair without feeling like a billion bucks. The past few times we have done my hair, we have tried to incorporate one of our favorite Pulp Riot shades called Satire amidst Nightfall (navy), Pyro (deep red), and Fireball (bright red). When the bright yellow color was fresh, it looked awesome. However, the Satire and Nightfall would begin to blend together after a while and created an unsightly shade of green. Although we’re never normally mad about random colors that pull, this was one we wouldn’t stand for!

This time around, we decided to scrap Satire altogether and use Pyro, Fireball, and Nightfall. Anna also mixed up some lilac dye with the navy to make a deep purple to place throughout the hair. The entire process took about five hours from start to finish and we began with bleaching the roots for about twenty-five minutes. It’s always fun to see how my hair looks after the bleach is out because the colors can look pretty crazy. For example, there were streaks of emerald green in my hair afterwards. I kind of liked it, actually lol.

After my hair was washed and dried, the hair dye application came next. To achieve this look, Anna painted the top of my roots with Pyro. This deep red is stunning and it’s also strategic. The deeper shade against my roots looks so much better as it’s growing out. Then, she painted the framing of my face with Nightfall and did a halo wrap of it around the bottom layer of my hair and streaked it with purple. All that was left after that was to paint the remainder of my hair with Fireball, sit for about an hour, and see what happened!

Beauty is pain, people, because the water Anna used to wash the dye out was bitter cold. Like the coldest I think the water has ever been, but I will do anything for the best results possible. It felt like heaven to get my hair blow dried shortly after! The ice bath was completely worth it because we are loving how my hair turned out. Not using the Satire was a great move and we have never seen the red looking more vibrant since it wasn’t muddled down with another color. I will also never not be obsessed with Nightfall and I think the color is so flattering on me. Not to mention the wonderful haircut that was much needed after growing out for a few months. C’est magnifique. ❤

I feel my absolute best after an appointment with Anna and know I am looking it too. We plan on lightening things up for my springtime session and I can’t wait to see what we come up with!

How long do you go between getting your hair done? What colors should I get for spring? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Lazy Weekend

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Lazy Weekend

Hellooo everyone!! Is January still not over yet? Lol, these past few weeks have felt like a year in itself – especially this last one. Even though Johnny and I enjoyed a day off on Monday for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, the remainder of the week dragged serious ass. It was freaking freezing all week with temperatures in the teens and by the time the week ended we got a ton of snow. It was definitely a cruel shock after the insanely mild winter we have been having and it wore me out!

Normally over the weekend, Johnny and I try to do at least one fun thing. Whether that be an outing together or hanging out with friends, it always gives us something to look forward to. This weekend, however, was an incredibly lazy one and it was just what we needed. In fact, we didn’t even take OOTD pictures – it was WAY too cold for that! Because I knew that we would be staying in, I made it my goal to complete my Tim Misny Christmas puzzle and had high hopes of accomplishing it…

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And let’s just say that I didn’t even come close lol. After I spent what felt like forever sorting the pieces out, I was already SO done! I didn’t even finish the border and that’s the easiest part smh. Don’t tell Tim! After realizing that the puzzle was a bust, Johnny and I went on a binge watching marathon and it was great. Usually, our “day of lay” on a Sunday involves a lot of quality time with our TV, but we decided to make that happen on Saturday too.

After I took a relaxing soak with a bath bomb (Stay tuned for a new Bath Bomb Blitz tomorrow!), our day(s) of lay commenced. On Saturday, we watched The Hunt For The Wilderpeople (Our favorite!), The Lord of The Rings, and Diary of a Mad Black Woman (We are on a HUGE Madea kick!). And, of course, LOTR was the extended edition which is the only way it should be watched! On Sunday, we stuck with our tradition of watching the new Saturday Night Live and Criminal Minds for the rest of the day.

Even though we really didn’t do much of anything over the weekend, Johnny and I still had a blast because we were together. Sometimes, you really do need a few days to just veg out and I’m glad we did. I think we were both pretty rundown from the work week and I know that I woke up for my three in the morning day on Monday feeling much more well rested. Well, as well rested as I can be for being up that early. I would absolutely say that that helped make the weekend an ever bigger GREAT SUCCESS!

When you’re feeling worn out, it can be so easy to just keep going and doing anyways. Johnny and I listened to what our bodies needed and that was a heaping dose of R&R. As I write this on Monday morning, I feel very ready to take on the week ahead!

How did you spend your weekend? What is your favorite way to relax? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Mental Health Day

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Mental Health Day

Hello!! This past Monday, I enjoyed my first mental health day in I don’t know how long. Granted, it wasn’t necessarily my choice but it still counts lol. This weekend, I was in a crazy freak accident – no one was hurt, but my car was so I was out of commission to get to work anyways. I would have loved to have had a mental health day under different circumstances, but I guess I’ll take what I can get? Haha and I used my time off well!

On Monday, I slept in until… SIX AM!!! It was great and definitely beats my normal wake up time around 4:30. Melvin and Penelope weren’t thrilled to have postponed their super early morning outing, but once I was up they got to hang out outside of their hutch almost all day. I also was able to get my car set up for its repairs because who knew auto body shops were closed on the weekend? Not me and it was a big relief to get all of that sorted. Also, I took my car to a mom and pop shop and the owner was just adorable. 🙂

Once I was home from my errands, I got to work doing lots of cleaning and that felt fantastic. When my life was really crazy, it was hard to find the time or energy to do a good deep cleaning of the apartment. I got to do that and more with my day off and I felt so accomplished and proud of my efforts. Maybe I needed this day for me more than I realized because I knew it would be nice to clean, but I didn’t appreciate how nice until I proudly surveyed a sparkling space.

After my chores were done, I completed the last item on my agenda which was finishing my Independent Provider annual training. Every year, we must do eight hours of additional online training to maintain our certification. I was on hour six of mine so I didn’t have too much left to do, but it was cool to not have to do it once I was home from work. I also don’t mind the online training at all because they’re always super interesting and it’s fun to learn something new!

Once all of my checklist for my day off was accounted for, I got to spend the rest of my afternoon FaceTiming with my bestie, Kate, of Live In The Nautical. It was the perfect way to end my Mental Health Day. If you are feeling like you need a day for you too, then I can’t encourage an MHD enough. We all need one from time to time and it’s important to listen to what your mind and body needs!

How do you like to spend a day off? When was your last mental health day? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

So Luxe: Hotel Vibes In Your Own Home

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So Luxe: Hotel Vibes In Your Own Home

There are a lot of reasons why you might want to make your home look more like a hotel. Hotels have this feeling of luxury and comfort, which is likely to be something that you would appreciate in your home too. So if you’re wondering how to make this a reality for your home, how are you going to achieve that? Let’s find out:

Deep Clean All Surfaces:

One thing that hotels do a lot is thoroughly deep clean every surface that you can see, as well as those you can’t. This requires hard work and constant diligence, but it is the kind of thing that you should think about doing if you are going to make your home more hotel-like. There are many surfaces that you need to think about here, including all of the counters and tabletops, and these should definitely be cleaned on a regular basis if possible. You should also make sure to get some professional carpet cleaning carried out occasionally and consider doing the same for all the upholstery too.

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^^^ Pexels Image

Upgrade Your Lighting:

For your home to be more like a hotel, you will want to opt for show-stopping lighting which is at once sophisticated and elegant, as that is going to produce the right vibe every time. You should also consider some soft and gentle lighting for focal areas in rooms, as you might find in hotel rooms. This lends a certain calmness to rooms that are all about relaxing. Good lighting can really make a world of difference.

Use Symmetry:

If you look at the room layouts of many of the best hotels, you will notice that there is often a definite symmetry to them. This doesn’t have to be an absolute rule all of the time. However, if you do make some use of symmetry in a clever way, you are going to find that your home looks a lot more like a hotel and much more interesting and stylish for it too.

There is also something to be said for a little tasteful asymmetry, and if you can marry these two together in the right way you might be surprised at how much it can work. You can achieve both of these ends by simply moving furniture around or remodeling a room if you are keen to make a huge difference.

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^^^ Pexels Image

Be Wary Of Clutter:

A hotel would not have any clutter whatsoever so it might be time for an overhaul of unneeded items in your home. This is especially great to do during changes in the season to give your home a breath of freshness. Make use of clever storage options for things that can’t be parted with and donate and recycle the rest. And, do try to keep the clutter from returning!

The Bed:

Finally, remember that the most important thing of all for a hotel is the bed. The more comfortable and luxurious this is, the better. Treat yourself to a good quality bed frame and mattress. Don’t forget some great linen, throw pillows, and plush blankets too. This alone is going to make your home a lot more luxurious in no time at all.

Who needs a five star hotel when you can have a five star home, instead? No room key required!

Featured Image By: Pexels

Relaxing Gifts For Your Special Guy

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Relaxing Gifts For Your Special Guy

Trying to find the perfect gift for the man in your life can be tricky. If he seems to have everything, what do you give him? How about something that will help him relax and destress? In this guide to relaxation for men, exploring various techniques that he can use to melt away the stress of everyday life will be discussed. Let’s get to it:

Massage Therapy:

Massage therapy is one of the most popular methods of relaxation for men. It is a great way to relieve stress and tension from the body and improve circulation. Many different types of massage therapies are available, so be sure to research to find the perfect one for him.

Swedish massage is a very common type of massage that uses long, flowing strokes to help relax the body. Deep tissue massage is another popular option that focuses on working out knots and other areas of muscle tension. Sports massages can help reduce soreness and inflammation from exercise if your man enjoys being active. Once you determine the best type of massage for your partner, simply enter a search for “Massage Near me in Austin, TX” (or your local area) to book an appointment for a fantastically relaxing gift.

While massages are fantastic, they might not be everyone’s cup of tea. If that is the case with your SO, why not bring the spa to your home? A massage chair could be an amazing gift for the both of you! Can you imagine sinking into one of these Relax for Life Massage Chairs after a long day at work? Rather than booking appointments with a massage therapist, you will be able to ease your tension from the comfort of your living room.

Aromatherapy:

Aromatherapy is another great way to help your man relax. Many different essential oils can be used for relaxation, each with its unique benefits. Lavender oil is a popular choice for its calming and soothing properties. Peppermint oil is also a good option as it can help to improve circulation and relieve muscle tension. You can also add a few drops of oil to his bathtub or massage him with an aromatherapy infused lotion.

That memorable getaway:

Sometimes, the best way to help your man relax is to get away from it all. Plan a weekend trip or more extended vacation at a spa or resort. This will allow him to unwind and forget all of his stressors. If you are on a budget, there are many ways to recreate the spa experience at home. First, run him a bath with some soothing music. You can also make your own sugar scrub using ingredients like coconut oil and essential oils. Then, give him a nice massage with this scrub to help exfoliate his skin and relieve muscle tension.

Special gifts:

If you want to go above and beyond, consider giving him a small gift that he can use while relaxing. This could be anything from a new robe to a nice pair of slippers. Maybe even a box of cigars? First, however, it’s important to understand the cigar shapes and sizes to fit with that remarkable man in your life and make it a gift he will never forget.

When it comes to relaxation, it’s important to remember that every man is different. What works for one guy might not work for another. The key is to find what works best for the man in your life and make sure he takes the time to relax regularly.

Time out with the family:

Last but not least, one of the best ways to help your man relax is to spend time with the people he loves. Whether this means family dinners, game nights, or simply hanging out at home, quality time with loved ones is sure to reduce stress and promote relaxation. In addition, perhaps your man is a camper; take the family out for a weekend away and disconnect from the hustle and bustle of life to truly relax.

If your SO is feeling stressed, treat him to any of the above and watch as the tension melts away!

Featured Image By: Pexels