Are you thinking of taking some time this month to relax and unwind? Perhaps you’re hoping to kick back with family and friends or get away on your own and recharge.

Those may seem like easy things to do. But, the truth is, many people struggle to truly relax and can actually end up feeling stressed and disappointed.

Why?

Psychologists tell us it’s often due to the mistaken assumption that relaxing involves doing nothing. That’s not true. In fact, relaxing is an activity, like any other, that requires you to do something.

So, if relaxing is your aim this month, think of activities you can plan that will make you feel positive and rejuvenated. It could be as simple as reading a good book (what many would see as stereotypically “relaxing.”) But, it could also involve playing a sport, going on an adventurous hike with the family, or trying something new, like taking a guitar lesson.

The point is to do something that diverts you from the everyday stressors in your life.

Relaxing means doing something, not nothing. So make a plan to relax this month so that you can feel recharged in the new year.