Eight Ways to Relax
We can all recall a similar scene: work deadlines are looming, you’re underpaid yet overworked and your family keeps grilling you about what you’re doing with yourself.
Life can be stressful, and sometimes this can be crippling. So, we’ve compiled a list of ten handy tips to keep you destressed, any time of the year.
1. Write It Down
Let yourself vent, grab a pen and paper and write down how this stress is making you feel. It’s for your eyes only so don’t hold back.
Sometimes stress isn’t rational so letting yourself see all of that on a piece of paper will help clear your mind. Plus, your work colleagues will think you’re working really hard, even if you aren’t.
2. Plan a Vacation
We don’t all have time to holiday whenever the stress is getting too much. Planning a holiday however, sparks that light at the end of the tunnel.
Pick a date, it can be near or far away and just plan away. It’ll get your mind focussed on other things and even pictures of sandy beaches are enough to fight off any niggly stress bugs.
3. Drip Cold Water on Your Wrists
Bit of a kooky one, we know.
Forget expensive perfumes, ice cold water is the freshest thing around and it’ll get you serene and calm. The reason for this? There are main arteries in your wrists and the cold water helps cool them down, dab some behind your ears too for maximum effect.
This tip is perfect for before a job interview or a scary meeting with your boss.
4. Do Your Chores
Don’t have time to clean because you’re so flat out? Just get to it, wash some dishes or vacuum the house. It’ll give your mind something else to focus on and you’ll feel good afterwards. It’s an instant reward!
Doing simple and somewhat mindless tasks such as these is meditative, helping you to target what’s really getting to you and hopefully appeasing it
5. Cuddle an Animal
Not all of us have boyfriends/girlfriends that we can rely on for constant cuddles. So, get an animal, or borrow one from a friend.
Their furry little faces will instantly boost your endorphin levels and get you feeling all happy. And happiness is a marvellous cure for stress.
Bonus tip, borrow any animal and take it for a walk. A quick stroll will help stress twofold.
6. Count Backwards
We know this one seems a little juvenile or like something the cops might ask you to do after witnessing some reckless driving. This task will surprise you though.
Counting down is not something we’re often asked to do so it can be quite challenging for the mind. It breaks sequences usually connected with counting so it really distracts you from any stress you may be experiencing.
Rinse and repeat as many times you can for maximum effect.
7. Dance
Studies have proved that contemporary dance really helps in terms of stress levels. We don’t necessarily mean that you have to join a dancing group, you can just shake out all the stress in the comfort of your own home.
You don’t have to take it too seriously, either. Get weird with it. Put some music on and just let your body do it’s thing.
Dancing might make you giggle too. If it does, this will decrease your stress levels even further.
8. Meditate
Do we really need to say it? Yes, meditation has featured on yet another one of our blogs!
We don’t feel we need to explain this one too much, you can refer to almost any other blog of ours that focusses on mental health for an overview of why it’s good for you.
Okay, so. That’s it guys. Hopefully after reading this you’re feeling a little more zen, unless you’re hiding in the bathrooms from your boss, frantically trying to finish this before you have to venture back into the lion’s den.
More from:
Wellness