Glamaour Era magazine Glamaour Era Global | Page 30

The hectic workday is over. As you pull into your driveway, you feel relief because
you've finally escaped the cranky co-workers, the deadlines and affic jams. Now
you can spend the next few hours relaxing at home with your family. What better
way to enjoy this time than with a delicious meal together?
Sometimes, the lingering s ess can be hard to shake, especially if you're in a rush to
get dinner on the table. You can shed your s ess and make this time together more
meaningful. Consciously ease into the ansition from work mode to family mode, and
use these tips to make your evening meal more relaxing and mindful.
1
Take a breath
As soon as you get home, just take a few minutes and chill out. What you'll want to do is
shake off any lingering "ght or ight" stress response that's making you feel tense and
on edge. With deep breathing techniques - the kind that get your belly moving - you'll
lower your heart rate and feel much calmer. Sit in your favorite chair, soften your gaze
and start those long, drawn-out inhales and exhales, counting your breath if needed.
Just by transitioning into this calmer state, you'll set the right mood and standard for
the rest of the evening.
2
Give the devices a timeout
Being mindful is all about staying in the present and following each action with
intention and awareness. But when your mobile device is pinging from the latest
Facebook update, text message or news alert, that can distract us from this calm and
aware state of mind. For now, while you're preparing and eating the meal, put the
devices out of reach - or in another room, if that's practical.
3
Include the kids
With devices out of the way, it's also much easier and more pleasant to focus on the
people in the room. If your kids are hanging around the kitchen, take it as a sign they
want to be with you, so use this time to connect. A great way to do this is to include kids
with the meal preparation. The youngest ones can rinse fruits and vegetables, cut soft
foods with a butter knife and tear lettuce. Older kids can help measure ingredients, stir
and whisk, and eventually peel foods with a paring knife.
4
Include the kids
Eliminate the stress of getting weeknight meals on the table, and build a list of
delicious go-to meals that you can prepare with ease. For example, this recipe for Easy
Shrimp Kabobs will allow you to get the entrée ready in minutes, plus the skewers and
easy dips will make this a fun favorite with the kids. For more ideas and inspiration to
make the weeknight meals more mindful and relaxing, visit seapak.com/recipes.