What works for me won’t always work for everyone, but I find that my “days off” are FAR more relaxing if I actually set some goals and do some projects. If I spend the day just lounging around, I tend to feel worse – more stressed than not. But if I set some goals, I feel great.
They don’t have to be “functional” goals! I’m still talking about fun stuff, just fun stuff with intention. Going for a hike, building something I want for myself, or digging into a pile of books all count.
Our relaxation time needs to charge us and center us. Slugging doesn’t do that for me.
The Opportunity Machine 