This post was originally published on 2nd September 2018 and updated on 26th July 2020.

As my time in London slowly draws to a close, I’m excited not only to start another new chapter in my life, but I’m also relieved that I get to spend some time with my family soon whilst I’m in between flats. I haven’t seen my family properly since March due to being in lockdown, with the exception of an hour we spent on Mum and Dad’s driveway in May for my mum’s Birthday. Of course this all depends very much on local lockdowns, by keeping my fingers tightly crossed.

Before this becomes a completely new blog post, I thought it would a suitable time to reflect back on one of my early posts called Family Time. I’m pleased to introduce this blog post to my new followers, as well as those of you who have been with me since the beginning who may be revisiting this post for the second time.

I hope you enjoy.

After a hectic week at work, I returned home this weekend to spend some much needed time with my family.

I love living in the city, but I’m slowly learning that I need to take regular breaks from the chaos that comes with living and working in London.

As soon as I reach the M1 the air changes, as does the scenery, and in turn, it clears my mind, lifts the stresses of city life, and leaves me feeling energised. I think I’ll always be a country girl at heart.

Although we’re now in September, the weather has been beautifully warm this weekend, with plenty of sunshine.

When I first moved to London, during my trips home I would pack my weekends full to the brim, trying to catch up with friends as well as family. However, as much as I wanted to see everyone, it would leave me feeling exhausted by the time I’d driven back to London. I would return to the city feeling more tired than when I left and by the middle of the working week I would be frazzled and feeling far from rested.

In order to make sure everyone gets to see the best version of me, I now find it much easier to spend weekends with family, and save seeing friends for those times I’m back home for a longer period of time, or I meet them for days out in London instead.

I can’t tell you how good it felt to escape from the city this weekend. Sitting at home in my parents garden, I switched off from work and just enjoyed letting the sunshine soak into my skin, eating good food, and catching up with my family.

I felt truly relaxed, a feeling I haven’t enjoyed in weeks.

No longer having my family on my doorstep, means that when I do go home, I appreciate the time we spend together so much more than I did when I lived nearby. I also really appreciate having a weekend where I don’t need to cook, or do any washing, and I get looked after, although I do of course help out where I can.

Family time these days is more than just spending time catching up with everyone. It’s about breathing in cleaner, fresher air, resting, and generally being in a less stressful environment.

It’s not just good for my physical and mental well-being. It’s good for my soul. And that’s something I don’t ever want to take for granted.