After a long day of carrying out tasks and attending to responsibilities, everyone needs a moment to pause and relax to recover your energy and reflect on your day.
This guide will help you use 17 phrases to talk about your personal time.
Quick Summary: 17 Relaxation & Reflection Phrasal Verbs
| Phrasal Verb | Meaning | Example Sentence |
| Wind down | To gradually relax | Time to wind down. |
| Kick back | To relax with feet up | Let’s kick back. |
| Switch off | To stop thinking of work | I need to switch off. |
| Let go | To release worry | Let go of the stress. |
| Curl up | To sit comfortably | Curl up with a book. |
| Settle in | To get comfortable | Settle in for the night. |
| Zone out | To lose focus | I zoned out on the bus. |
| Drift off | To fall asleep slowly | I drifted off at 9 PM. |
| Think back | To remember the past | Think back to your trip. |
| Mull over | To think deeply | Mull over the idea. |
| Open up | To share feelings | She finally opened up. |
| Dive into | To start with energy | Dive into the book. |
| Sleep on it | To decide tomorrow | I will sleep on it. |
| Chill out | To relax/calm down | Just chill out today. |
| Bottle up | To hide emotions | Don’t bottle up anger. |
| Quiet down | To become silent | The house quieted down. |
| Turn in | To go to bed | I’m ready to turn in. |
Releasing the Day’s Stress
The first step relaxation is letting go of the stress from your daily activities.
1. Wind down
To wind down means to gradually relax after a period of excitement or hard work.
- Example: I usually listen to soft music for half an hour to wind down before I start cooking dinner.
2. Kick back
To kick back is an informal way to say you are relaxing, often by sitting in a comfortable chair with your feet up.
- Example: On Friday nights, I love to kick back and watch a movie with my family.
3. Switch off
To switch off means to stop thinking about work or problems and focus on something else.
- Example: It is very difficult for me to switch off when I have a big project due the next day.
4. Let go
To let go means to stop holding onto a feeling of anger or worry from the day.
- Example: You should let go of that small argument you had at the office and enjoy your evening.
Getting Comfortable at Home
Once you have mentally checked out of work, you want to make your environment as cozy as possible.
5. Curl up
To curl up means to sit or lie in a position where your arms and legs are close to your body, usually to stay warm or comfortable.
- Example: There is nothing better than curling up with a good book when it is raining outside.
6. Settle in
To settle in means to become comfortable in a place where you plan to stay for a while.
- Example: We got some snacks and settled in for a long night of watching our favorite TV series.
7. Zone out
To zone out means to stop paying attention to your surroundings because you are tired or bored.
- Example: I was so exhausted after the meeting that I started to zone out during the news.
8. Drift off
To drift off means to gradually fall asleep, often while you are doing something else like reading or watching TV.
- Example: I often drift off on the sofa before I even make it to my actual bed.
Mental Reflection and Hobbies
This is the time to check your mental health and focus on your hobbies.
9. Think back
To think back means to remember or reflect on something that happened in the past.
- Example: Before I go to sleep, I like to think back on one positive thing that happened during the day.
10. Mull over
To mull over means to think about a problem or a decision very carefully for a long period of time.
- Example: I need some time to mull over the job offer before I give them my final answer.
11. Open up
To open up means to share your feelings. This is a key part of reflecting with a partner or friend.
- Example: It felt good to finally open up to my friend about the stress I have been feeling lately.
12. Dive into
To dive into means to start doing something with a lot of enthusiasm, like a new book or a creative project.
- Example: I can’t wait to dive into this new painting I started over the weekend.
Preparing for Tomorrow
13. Sleep on it
To sleep on it means to wait until the next day to make a decision so that you have time to think about it.
- Example: Don’t feel pressured to decide now; why don’t you sleep on it and tell me tomorrow?
14. Chill out
To chill out is a very common way to say relax or stop being angry.
- Example: You are working too hard; you really need to chill out this weekend.
15. Bottle up
To bottle up means to hide your emotions and not talk about them. This is usually seen as an unhealthy habit.
- Example: It is not good to bottle up your feelings because it just causes more stress later.
16. Quiet down
To quiet down means to become more silent or less active.
- Example: The neighborhood usually starts to quiet down around ten o’clock at night.
17. Turn in
To turn in is a slightly more formal or old-fashioned way to say you are going to bed.
- Example: It has been a very long day, so I think I will turn in early tonight.
Making Time for Yourself
A healthy life is a balanced life. By using these 17 phrasal verbs, you can better express how you take care of your mind and body. Whether you are mulling over a big decision or simply curling up on the sofa, you are practicing the natural English used for self-reflection.
Try to practice one “wind down” verb tonight. Are you going to switch off your phone? Will you think back on your accomplishments? Daily practice will help you speak English naturally.
