Amy & Aron's

It can be tough to hit pause sometimes when work, family, and digital commitments are vying for your attention. Spending quality time with friends just sits on the back burner until you all have time to sync together. The thing is, spending quality time with your friends isn't just fun, but it's essential.

Whether it's a Friday night to get together or a spontaneous Sunday afternoon catch up, unwinding with your friends is one of the best ways to reset your mood and recharge your mental batteries. Your medical marijuana prescription may be a great way to unwind when you're on your own, but you can do so much more when you have friends with you. Let's take a look at some of the best ways that you can unwind with your friends.

• Chill out with a game night. You don't have to have a ferocious contest with a board game or be a board game geek to enjoy game night. You can choose easy to learn games that keep the conversation flowing and the laughs coming. Think Pictionary Uno, Codenames or charades. Even a round of Mario Kart or a classic card game can bring out everyone's competitive side.
• Go on a group walk. Now, we didn't say hike, which means you don't have to go mountain climbing if that's not your thing. Sometimes the best conversations happen when you're not looking each other in the eye. Group walks are a fantastic way to unwind, whether it's in nature or along the beach. A slow stroll with lots of conversation can really help. If any of you have a dog, bring it along because that way you all have an excuse to go for a walk.
• Host the backyard cookout. Nothing brings people together like food, so get everybody to bring a dish and fire up the grill. Hosting your own Taco night or BBQ night or even steak night can give you something to do with your hands and help you all to make some memories while you hang out together. You could even do themes week to week. You can change from pasta to dumplings to even a dessert Bake Off. Everybody leaves full, happy and feeling good.
• Just plan nothing at all. Sometimes the best way to unwind with your friends is to simply show up and just hang out sitting together with no such schedule or expectations. You could sit in complete silence, scroll on your phones, not really have much conversation, but just be happy in each other's presence. Maybe someone brings wine, maybe somebody else grabs take out and you'll just lounge, then laugh and exist in the same space.It's like the human version of pressing refresh and sometimes it's super needed.