Affordable Ways to De-Stress
Do Something You
Did All the Time as a Kid...
Do you ever long for those days when your biggest concerns were
nap time, recess and Saturday morning cartoons? You’d build pillow forts at
slumber parties, climb the biggest tree in your neighborhood and catch
fireflies at night. It’s amazing how much less complicated life was back those
days.
Just because
you’re all grown up now doesn’t mean you can’t still partake in the simple joys
of childhood. Turn off your Blackberry, disconnect from the internet and act
like a kid whenever you can. Revel in the refreshing nostalgia and feel the
positive associations and memories melt away your stress.
Think of your
favorite childhood pastimes
Volunteer Your
Time or Expertise
Stretch, Breathe
and Meditate
It’s hard not to
feel stressed and overworked by the hectic pace of a hyper-connected society
that moves at the speed of MyFaceTwitSpaceBlackBookBerry. Before you go into
meltdown mode, hit pause, relax and take a breather.
Even if yoga’s not
your thing, basic meditation, stretching and breathing techniques, though
seemingly simple, can work wonders for your stress relief. When you stress out,
tension is stored in your body, causing pain and tightness especially in your
back and shoulders. Stretching will get your body loose and your circulation
flowing in full force again.I am trying to follow this in vain.But I am not
gonna give up u see!
To meditate, find
a relaxing atmosphere, sit on level ground (find a cushion if uncomfortable),
close your eyes, relax every muscle and breathe deeply with your abdomen, not
your chest. Focus on each inhale and exhale to exclude other thoughts and quiet
your mind.
Hang Out With Your
Funniest Friend...this works wonders!Wonders can be true..
It’s been
scientifically proven that laughter is both preventive and therapeutic. It
decreases your stress hormone levels and boosts healthy hormones, like
endorphins, strengthening your immune system. You even get a mini workout for
your abs, diaphragm and your shoulders.
Not only will
laughing with your friend boost your mood, it’ll take your mind off all the
piled up stress in your life. It offers a release from the pent-up emotions and
frustrations you may be feeling and the emotional bonding will boost your
self-esteem .
Laughter really is
the best medicine, so call up your funniest friend and hang out. You’ll be glad
you did.
SLEEP... I love
this...
Nothing beats a
good night’s rest. Emails filtering in non-stop? Clients calling every five
minutes? Holier-than-thou executives bossing you around? Many professionals
bring their troubles home with them and that equals more stress for you and
your loved ones. Why not sleep it off? Getting even 30 minutes of shut eye can
help you relax and put your problems in perspective.
If you’re going to
try to sleep off your stress, make sure you’ve got surroundings that promote
good quality rest. A dark, cool, quiet room with few electronics is best.
Feeling antsy but still want to rest? Try a cup of Valerian Root or chamomile
tea. A warm bath can also help put you in a restful state of mind.
Buy Cheap Paints
or an Art Project at a Hobby Store
Looking at art
definitely has its calming effects, but it’s not always just about the product.
You don’t have to be Picasso to get the health benefits of producing beautiful
works of art either. People who make art as a hobby find that the process of
self-expression through unwinding and creating art can be extremely soothing as
well.
Artistic
self-expression originates from Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung, who theorized that
the power of imagery could tap into the thoughts, memories and feelings of a
person, whether conscious or unconscious. Art therapy is thus frequently used
in hospitals, clinics and rehab facilities to promote physical, emotional and
mental well-being via creative expression.
Making art helps
lessen anxiety, stress and depression, and promote self-awareness, self-esteem
and insight into your life. You can pick up reasonably priced art supplies or
art kits at any hobby store. Just set aside an art space, turn on some relaxing
music and paint to your health
Cook a Delicious
Dinner with Items You Have in Your Fridge
Back up, slow down
and consider taking the time to cook your next meal with simple items you
already have in your fridge and cupboards. Cooking takes patience and
persistence. The process of chopping, measuring, stirring and sautéing can be
incredibly therapeutic.
Check what
ingredients you have in your kitchen, and look up a recipe (see below). Pick
something simple to make, so the preparation and cleanup don’t stress you out.
Let the culinary sensations, like scent, sight and touch mesmerize you.
Finally, take pride in the sense of accomplishment as you slowly enjoy your
delicious meal.
Go on a Hike or Go
to the Park
Sometimes we get
so caught up in traffic, shopping malls and the hustle and bustle of everyday
life that we forget to stop and smell the flowers. But when Ralph Waldo Emerson
said “adopt the pace of nature,” he wasn’t being poetic—he was being entirely
scientific.
Science has proven
time and time again how the psychological benefits of nature can calm the brain
and better your mood and concentration. Hospital patients recover faster when
they have a view of trees and flowers from their window, and children with attention-deficit
disorder exhibit less symptoms in a natural environment.
So get back to
basics, and enjoy nature. Bring a blanket to the park and lie out, or go for a
hike and take in the scenery. Bask in the sun, breathe in the fresh air, and
appreciate all the colorful simplicity of the outdoors. Your brain’s health
depends on it.
Take a Bath with
Candles and Aromatherapy
The recuperative
and healing properties of water have many stress-relieving benefits and allow
the body to fall into a deeper sleep. Submerging in a bath tub relieves your
body from the constant pull of gravity, and heated water relaxes muscle
tension, improving circulation, range of motion and energy flow.
Melt away your
stress by creating a mini spa in your bathroom. Turn on soothing music, dim the
lights, light candles and prepare fresh towels. The music will drown out
household sounds that you may associate with everyday stressers, and relaxed
lighting can go a long way when creating a peaceful mood. You can pick up
high-end aromatherapy bubble bath soap, skin-moisturizing oils and exfoliating
body scrubs on the cheap at your local T.J. Maxx, Marshalls or Ross.
Most importantly,
make arrangements for your well-deserved uninterrupted solitude. Turn off your
cell phone, log out of email and if you have roommates or family around, tell
them to leave you alone for an hour or two. Be sure to prepare your bed
beforehand so you have a nice, comfy space to crawl into after your bath
Get Your
Adrenaline Pumping!
Whether you’re
exhausted, frustrated, or just plain stressed-out, nothing beats the blues like
getting your blood pumping. Exercise, and the adrenaline it produces, has been
proven to help people relax – probably because you’re so tired afterward! The
thought of dragging your tired behind to the gym after a 12-hour shift might
sound awful, but that’s not your only option. There are tons of great ways to
exercise that don’t involve weights, spandex, or protein powder.
Got a dog? Take
him for a nice, long walk. Or just go alone! Slip on your sneakers, and you’re
good to go! Looking for something a little more exciting? Try a class like
kickboxing or spinning. You can punch and kick your stress away, or imagine
yourself cycling toward your next vacation!
Make “To-Do” Lists
and Actively Check Off Items
I don’t know about
you, but I love to be organized. Even if my “To-Do” list consists of things
like “take a shower” and “walk the dog,” I feel like I’ve accomplished
something once I’m able to check an item off my list. Try making a “To-Do” list
for simple things, like folding laundry and running errands. Each time you
complete a task, check it off. The action of crossing something off a list is a
tangible way to see how much you’ve accomplished in a day.
Don’t want to use
paper? Invest in a white board and hang it on the fridge.
Get a Free or
Discounted Massage
Massage therapy
has a rich history across several cultures. Hindus, Persians, Egyptians and the
Chinese have been healing ailments with massage for thousands of years. Hippocrates
even wrote papers recommending massage to treat joint and circulation problems.
The physical and
psychological benefits of massage are plentiful. It reduces anxiety and the
level of stress hormones in the body, improves circulation and your immune
system, and increases your self-esteem via direct contact with another person
through touch.
Your body can go
through significant wear and tear from being on your feet tending to patients,
or hunched over a desk all day. Relax by recruiting the soothing hands of a
significant other or look up a massage school near you .
Organize Your
Living Space
Ever have one of
those mornings where it feels like someone came in during the night and stole
your keys, work badge and wallet? From unearthing the heaps of laundry
scattered about your room to digging through each of your four work bags,
there’s no doubt about it: your house is a mess. And you feel like your life is
kind of a mess too because of it.
Take a Saturday
afternoon to roll up your sleeves and get your living space in order. It’s
amazing what coming home to a clean, organized home can do. If you can control
the area you live in, you feel better equipped to control other factors in your
life. Plus, you don’t waste time having to look for everything all the time.
Yoga has been
practiced for more than 5,000 years. Close to 11 million Americans practice
yoga to calm their mind, relieve and prevent chronic medical conditions, and
increase flexibility and strength. Yoga harmonizes the mind with body,
decreasing anxiety and stress hormone levels and promoting concentration and a
good mood.
Focusing on your
breathing during yoga disengages you from your thoughts and helps to calm the
mind. Each yoga session ends with five to ten minutes spent relaxing in corpse
pose, or “savasana,” and you finish with a sense of well-being and feeling of
“oneness” with the world around you.
Yoga in the studio
can burn a big hole in your pocket, so try at-home yoga with a video. Some
libraries carry yoga videos, or you can get cheap yoga videos from Amazon.com
or Half.com. If you need to buy a yoga mat, opt for larger, discounted sporting
good stores instead of studios or boutiques.
Crank Up the Music
and Dance
The idea of
dancing, especially with a partner, can make some people break out in a cold
sweat. But dancing can be a great stress reliever by renewing your sense of
creativity, revitalizing your energy and boosting your confidence. It even
strengthens your immune system, reduces anxiety and floods your body with
serotonin.
Because of its
health benefits, dance movement therapy is often used in schools, hospitals and
rehabilitation centers to treat conditions, like eating disorders, sexual and
physical abuse, autism and substance abuse.
So cast those
inhibitions aside, crank up the music, and dance in the privacy of your own
home. You can even slip on an oversized dress shirt and socks and rock out like
Tom Cruise did in Risky Business.
Build a Garden
Starting and
maintaining a garden takes great patience and nurturing from the first step of
buying the materials to taking the first bite of your hard-earned work. But the
process of digging, planting, watering, feeding, trimming and watching your
plants grow can be amazingly beneficial as stress relief.
Gardening gets you
out of the house, away from distractions, and basking in the sun – heck, just being
in the sun improves your mood drastically. Building a relationship with the
outdoors and creating natural beauty helps you feel more at one with your
environment and calms your mind.
You don’t need an
acre of land or very much money to start a garden — most seeds only cost a
couple of cents. Just visit your local garden supply, and pick up some tools,
soil, fertilizer and seeds. If you don’t have a yard, buy a window box and
place it in the sunniest window sill
Take a Long Drive
Having time to
yourself and the absence of traffic at night will calm your mind, as will the
accompanying music or silence. Safety first, though! Always drive the speed
limit and obey traffic laws.
Borrow a Book or
DVD From the Library
Picture this: a
cool summer evening, a glass of your favorite beverage, and a beloved copy of
Harry Potter. Or Eat Pray Love. Or the latest John Grisham novel. Whatever your
preference, a book is a great way to unwind at the end of the day. What’s
better? Books are easy to get and you can get them for free. That’s right. Sign
up for a library card or free books on net and you can check out hundreds even
thousands of books.
Many libraries
even give away books that aren’t being checked out anymore or are an older
edition. Ask your library if they ever have any book fairs or give-aways and
pick up some great classics! Looking for something a little less literary? Many
libraries now carry a large selection of DVDs. Pick up an old classic or the
latest hit, and unwind in front of the tube. Renting a DVD from a library is
usually free or at most half the cost of renting one from your local video
store.
Spend the Day as
Ms. Fix-It
Remember those
flowers that need replanting? Or that loose board in the deck that should
probably be replaced? How about the Christmas lights you still haven’t taken
down? Small tasks like these might seem daunting, but dedicating a day to
fixing up your home can help you de-stress and manage your life. You’ll be
getting things done that have been in the back of your mind (or your spouse has
been nagging you about!). Plus, cleaning up your home can reinvigorate you.
Even painting one wall a new color can breathe new life into your house.
Completing projects
is also a great way to spend time with your family. Dad can dig holes for new
flowers while mom reports the dahlias and the kids decide where they go.
Looking for some me time? Stay focused (and avoid negative thoughts) by
concentrating on one project at a time. Even if you only fix one thing this
weekend, you’ll feel better for accomplishing something.
