4 Sports Great for Unwinding From Long Days at the Office

| August 19, 2020

4 Sports Great for Unwinding From Long Days at the Office

Our lives are slowly returning to normal after the global lockdown. Some of us find ourselves picking up the working hours again, maybe even returning to the office. For our mental health, we must remember to give ourselves a break and switch off after a long day.

Unwinding and switching off can be difficult at times. The number of nights I find myself thinking about what I need to do next in the office is astonishing. This is why self-care and exercise are so important to put into our daily habits.

Bubble baths, cozy book reads, and a glass of wine are all common go-to’s for most of us to soak away the days’ cobwebs. But have you ever considered exercise or sports? 

Physical activity is one of the most effective forms of self-care that you should employ to help unwind after a long day in the office.

But forget about hitting the gym. Take a step outside and discover a new sport that is great for unwinding from long days in the office. Here are four perfect sports to forget about work worries and office dramas.  

Paddle boarding

Paddle boarding is the ultimate sport for unwinding after a long day in the office. Not only is it fun, but it’s also a great workout.

There is nothing better than hitting the water after a long day in the office. The water is there for you: paddle your stress away with each stroke, relax in nature gliding across the waters’ surface.

Hit the waves if you are looking for more action and adrenaline to counter the office hours. Or take a cruise if you need to relax and unwind completely. Both options are perfect.

Paddle boarding allows you to escape from the world for a moment. It is just you and nature. While you are balancing on the surface, take a deep breath in and out. Look around at the beauty of the world. 

While you are on the water and burning the calories, you also get a Vitamin D boost from the sun. This is perfect for de-stressing along with other health benefits.

Forget about the emails, put aside the deadlines, and just immerse yourself in nature with your SUP. Take a casual paddle, or an adrenaline rush ride. Paddle boarding is the one! 

Yoga

Melt the day’s nuisances away on the mat. Yoga is well known for its relaxing qualities. There is a practice and flow perfect for any type of day in the office you have had.

Vinyasa, Yin, Hatha, Restorative, or Nidra?

Just listen to your body and choose a practice that feels right for that day. Vinyasa is great to get your body moving and sweat on. Yin or Restorative flows leave you to relax into the mat and just focus on the calming breath.

Yoga can be as intense as you want to make it. It’s an individual sport. Your practice is for you and only you. Once you are on that mat, it is your time.

The breathwork and meditation side of this sport exercises your mind along with the physical body stretches. Yoga is a workout for both body and mind while centering your focus. Add perspective after a long day in the office and unwind the internal cogs of your brain.

Cycling

Some of us are blessed to have mountain trails on our doorsteps. Some of us have an urban jungle as our playground. No matter where you are in the world, you can make cycling work.

It doesn’t matter if you are hitting the trails or clocking miles on the road. The outcome is the same, exercise.

Grabbing a bike is a great way to zone out and simply focus on peddling. Alongside the de-stressing elements, cycling is considered a fantastic sport for muscle strength and cardio fitness with a low impact on joints and ligaments.

Have you considered cycling to and from work? Cycling home from the office means you hit the ground running and begin unwinding straight away. It also means you can avoid rush hour traffic and unwanted stress of a commute. It’s a win-win sport to take up!

Soccer

And last but not least, soccer. Find yourself a soccer team to join! There are plenty of local amateur leagues around for you to get involved in. 

A friendly team sport, like soccer, is a great way to forget all about work. Once you are on the pitch you will quickly forget about your long day at the office and be able to enjoy the game.

Even if you just get your pals together for a kick around in the yard. Anything that involves a team community is great to redivert thoughts away from the office and drive your competitiveness side on something other than work.

The great thing about soccer is that you forget that it is a sport while you are playing. It’s super fun and a game with friends. The mental battle of will power over exercise is slightly easier to win.

Which sport will you choose?

Are you going to paddle your long days away on a SUP? Or perhaps kicking a ball around is more your style. 

Choose whichever sport you think is best for you to unwind after a long day in the office. 

One of the many benefits of the sports listed above is that they are fun. This means you feel free while doing them, unlike the gym which can sometimes be a chore. 

Exercise and sport is an important part of self-care. Make time for a sport after work and you will soon see the benefits begin to beam out of you.