It depends, a lot upon the season.
Usually, I read. It may be a physical book or an e-book, or I Google a topic to study. Of ciurse, I surf here and a bit on FB. I usually use that to keep my mind off traffic while Mike is driving between farms.
I have started using a bit of yoga and if it is really quiet, mindfulness meditation. Trainer grouos it with the stretching therapy that is fixing my knees. Getting rid of that longstanding pain is very helpful...I didn't realize how much the hurt was stressing me out, until it started to be resolved.
When Winn is over, we snuggle up with Tom&Jerry on the DVR, starting around 1:30, and from about 2-5, he naps. His sleepy self calms and relaxes me. Other adults claim he " will not nap" for them, but he will actually ask for a nap here, I think because he knows our routine. He will even say " I am grouchy because I am tired." Okay, kiddo, cuddle up!
We have a massage therapist who comes to the farm, generally every other week. I have the table, warm stones, etc., which she uses to deal with stress and pain from some old shoulder injuries. I have stopped rushing to let the next person have their turn...will ask for the last appointment, and ask her to go back to trouble spots. She is really fixing some stuff that has hurt for years.
Gardening work really relaxes me. Planting, weeding, and other routine chores give me a sense of accomplshment and peace. That is spring through fall, for the most part. Hoping to have my greenhose to extend into colder weather this winter. I think it is okay to talk to my plants...so far, they don't talk back....
In cold weather, I turn to crafting like stained glass. There is a " zone" I hit, in the middle of scoring and snapping, grinding and foiling, that is rhythmic and relaxing. Wraving, once the warping is fone, is very relaxing, too.
My martial arts study is sidelined for a while, for several reasons. Mostly, it is because the do jhang has really become a daycare, and its focus has changed. That was a great stress reliever for nine years, and I am looking at picking it back up, perhaps at another school. A new one has opened in town, and I have started checking into its program. No time right now, but maybe by the fall....I can still practice my forms and they are a very good short (15-minute) workout.
Riding around the farms with Mike, checking cows, cruising fence, stacking firewood, and such, are work, but they are fun. We have a nice porch for sitting at each house, and a homebrew, hard cider or glass of wine shared is okay at our age.
Hot baths, journaling, cooking and even cleaning can be restful, as long as there is no rush on.
