If You Feel Relaxed Today, Thank a 4th Grader

An 11-year old boy thought we could all use a little more time to relax, so he made August 15th a national holiday to do just that.  And we've got the 5 best ways to relax in the Treasure Valley.  

National Day Calendar.com says Sean Moeller founded National Relaxation Day in 1985 as a fourth-grader and said on this day we "shouldn’t do anything of real value. Cleaning and real work are not part of relaxation."  It might be better for our careers if relaxation day fell on a non-workday, but maybe the boss won't mind.  At the very least we should order pizza.  Too much work can make us sick, run-down, and tired, and we owe it to ourselves to chill out and honor 11-year-old Sean's wishes.

So what are the best relaxation activities around Boise?  Since it's August and warm, a picnic in the park, playing golf, and taking a leisurely hike probably aren't going to work at the peak of the afternoon.  Heat stress is not relaxing.  The best ways to relax are dependent upon your tastes, but these are some of the best relaxers in the Treasure Valley, according to Jen and a couple of my co-workers.

1.  Taking a drive in the country.  Once we get off of I-84 and get out into space and crank the radio, driving can be relaxing.  Drive till you feel it.

2.  Swimming or working out at the gym.  Exercise gets endorphins going, and sweating feels good.  And since it's hot, sometimes we can swim and sweat at the same time.  Bonus.

3.  Going to a movie.  Since most theaters have reclining seats now, seeing a great movie is really comfy.  And since you're reserving seats ahead of time, there's no stress in fighting over seats when you get there.

4.  Having Drinks. Lunch, or Dinner with friends.  Text the friends that never stress you out, and book dinner at that hot spot you've been wanting to try.  And if you're doing it after a good workout and a relaxing movie, even better.

5. Watching sports.  Major League Baseball is moving toward the playoffs, preseason football is here, and your kiddo might have a summer league game to take in.  As long as you're not screaming at the ref, this will be relaxing.

Stress can wreck our health, so we're doing ourselves a big favor by scaling back the to-do list.  And today is the perfect day to do almost nothing and feel really good about it!  4th grade Sean Moeller would be proud.