[SPEAKING VOLUMES] Mr. Big Stuff’s Top 5 Ways to Get Some Space When You Need It

1 – Grab your headphones, turn on “do not disturb”, and head out for a walk to clear your mind.
Whenever I am feeling run down and the world is getting me down I find my happy and chilled playlists and off I go for a good hour walk. Walking helps refresh your brain and the endorphins from working out make you feel good. Work up a little bit of a sweat and enjoy the music while your brain floats and wanders to a wonderful space.

2 – Gardening!
I just got into it but it so peaceful. To watch seeds grow and to tend for them is such a chilled out thing to do. I start most of my plants from seed and tend to them for about 10-15 minutes a day. The feeling of watching a seed grow to maturity is pretty satisfying. The best thing is you don’t need a lot of space and can even do it in your bedroom. Trust me, It is the most satisfying thing you can do around your house.

3 – Switch off the phone and get off social media!
Social media is huge in our lives and it encompasses so many facets of our lives, but do you ever think what it would be like to just switch off for a week or so? What would you actually miss out on? I took a break from social media for about 3 years and in that time I found it just as easy to stay in contact and stay up to date with friends and family. We have screens and information everywhere we turn these days and that can really take a toll. So take some time off and detox from your social media life and get some space back in your day.

4 – Get into the kitchen and cook it yourself!
That’s right, all my non-cooking friends, it’s time to get into the kitchen. I find when I need time to chill baking, cooking and smoking – the cooking type of smoking – to be very therapeutic. Following a simple recipe, the smells as you cook and the end result is always satisfying. Even if you muck it up.. as I’ve done multiple times, being ingrained in the food takes my mind to another place. Try it and you’ll be surprised at how relaxing cooking for yourself can be.

5 – Netflix and chill?
I think so my friends. A good movie and a good tv series can make us disconnect from the pressures of work and life. I highly recommend Brooklyn Nine Nine for a good laugh and River Cottage Australia for a relaxing look at life. Sometimes you’ll find a good movie while flicking through the channels and other times if there’s nothing else on whack on your favorite DVD. If you can be bothered leaving the house I always like to head to movies on my own. Grab a bucket of popcorn and a choctop (try the dip method…it’s amazing) and sit back and let your worries melt away as your taken away on a journey for a few hours. I always find I have a new perspective when I leave the cinema and life better for the experience.