This post is by Cloe Matheson, a guest blogger. I hope you enjoy her suggestions on how to destress as much as I did!
8 Effective Ways to Relieve Stress
Stress has always been around – but in the age of the 45-hour work week, the urban lifestyle, and the competitive social economy, it’s become truly endemic.
It’s likely that your life probably won’t get any less hectic for you anytime soon. What you can change, however, is how you respond to stress in your life. The following 8 tips should equip you with the coping mechanisms necessary to becoming a paragon of calm.
- Enjoy playtime
Think about it: how often do you have fun – and we mean real, childlike fun – in an average working week? Sad as it is, some of us won’t even be able to remember the last time we genuinely belly-laughed. If you’re in this situation, it’s time to inject some play back into your life.
What’s so great about play is that it goes hand-in-hand with so many other things that are great for our wellbeing. With a game of Monopoly, you’ll get to hang out with your family and friends – and if play a round of football, you’ll get some fun, much-needed exercise in too!
- Take a stroll in nature
If you’re after a more relaxed form of exercise still, then peel yourself off the couch and go for a walk around in nature. Spending time outside has been scientifically proven to enhance our mood. Plus, nature is the only place you won’t strike other people (and if we’re honest, all of us need time away from other humans).
- Listen to music
Few things treat stress as effectively as music. It doesn’t matter whether you have 10 minutes on a break at work, or hours on end during the weekend: put some tunes on, and surrender yourself to the beat for a while.
- Disconnect and explore your environment
It’s becoming increasingly clear just how detrimental devices can be to our mental and physical wellbeing. Even when we’re off work, the lure of the screen is hard to resist.
More and more people have tried to put away devices during weekends, and to try new things in their local environment instead. You might visit a historic house, or walk a new nature trail – but whatever you do, you’re almost guaranteed to enjoy it more without a smartphone in hand.
- Remember to breathe
If the weekend is too far away and you need to de-stress now, then tune in to your breathing. Is your breathing fast and shallow? Try to consciously slow it down, and focus your attention solely on drawing out your inhalations and exhalations. Even a minute or two of this kind of release will get you feeling less tense.
- Get into the kitchen
There’s something infinitely relaxing about measuring out your ingredients, stirring them into submission, and watching the raw elements turn into something delicious. And the best thing of all? That you get to eat the tantalizing goodies you make at the end, of course!
- Read a new author
Before Netflix existed the most portable form of escapism out there: books. There’s still something to be said for the rejuvenating power of a good read, so if you haven’t picked up a book since your high-school English class, now is the hour.
Whether it’s a fun piece of chick-lit or War and Peace, read something you’ve not read before, and leave your stress at the very first page.
- Remind yourself of your passions
In the vast majority of scenarios, the things that cause us stress – traffic, too many things on the checklist, tensions with colleagues – don’t have anything to do with the things we really care about. It doesn’t hurt, then, to take a moment to step back and remind yourself of what you love to do, or even better, to actively carve out some time and space to pursue your passions. Always wanted to travel? Pursue your passion with an overseas trip! Have artistic dreams? Break out your pencils and paintbrushes.
Author’s bio:
Cloe Matheson hails from the beautiful city of Dunedin, New Zealand. She has penned articles for various websites including local business, Strata. After long hours of work, she winds down by lighting a scented candle and listening to her favorite classical music tracks. See more of Cloe’s work here.