I’ve found that the easiest philosophy when it comes to de-stressing is to be kind to yourself. Generally, we are much kinder to other people than we are to ourselves, but you’re a person too - so why not treat yourself like one? Life can be extremely stressful and while there are tons of ideas and recommendations out there for how to de-stress, I’ve found that figuring out what actually works for you is most important. Although I do find some de-stressing recommendations (i.e. art) to be extremely helpful, not everything I use to de-stress is the most conventional strategy, but maybe they are strategies that might work for you as well!
Embracing My Artsy Side
I work a normal 9-5 job in a standard office where I stare at a computer for long hours and send lots of emails. This doesn’t leave a ton of room for creativity, so during my free time, I like to embrace my artsy side! For me, coloring, painting, or playing an instrument are awesome ways to de-stress because they are activities that I enjoy, even if I’m not that good at any of them! :P Whatever artsy activity floats your boat, embrace it as an opportunity to disconnect and de-stress.
Mundane Household Tasks
After working at a computer all day, I actually find mundane household tasks to be an awesome de-stressor. I like to plug in my headphones, blast happy music, and run around cleaning/throwing things away. After I’m done, I feel so much more accomplished and the clean slate of a spotless home just puts me at ease.
Testing Out a New Make-up Look
Make-up! Testing out new make-up and rediscovering old products is something that quite simply makes me happy! I think the ability to essentially transform my face makes me feel refreshed and really gives me a new perspective on an old problem.
Eating Your Favorite Foods
Yes, I know, you’re not supposed to eat when you’re stressed out - but sometimes, food really is comforting! Everything in moderation, right? When I’m really having a hard time, I find that settling down and just enjoying food brings me back down to earth. My personal favorite de-stressing foods? sushi, chocolate, and of course, ice cream :)
Writing a To Do List + Putting It Off!
Usually, when I’m stressed, it’s because I feel like there are too many things to do and not enough time. When I’m feeling out of control, it’s helpful to sit myself down and jot down everything that needs to be done. Once it’s all down on paper, it looks less intimidating and I can level-headedly plan out a method for attacking the situation - which includes putting some things off!
Dance or Boxing-Based Workouts
I feel like magazines are always telling me about yoga and meditation and how they are perfect for de-stressing. I’m not going tell you to meditate/become a yogi because A) everyone and their mom tells you to do that and B) I’ve tried both of those and it really doesn’t work for me as far as de-stressing goes! While I love doing yoga, when I’m stressed, all I can think about during shavasana are the 1.5 million things I have to do when I rush out of the class! Instead, I’ve been gravitating towards dance and boxing-based workouts because they are a fantastic way to keep my brain distracted from all the stress and to let out all of my pent up energy!
Visit a Library
I honestly think that libraries are one of the most under used and under appreciated resources. In what other situation can you go to a gorgeous building with tons of free books, movies, magazines, etc etc etc and use them for as long as you like? I love visiting our local library without any agenda other than to de-stress by burying my nose in whatever books strike my fancy that day. Plus, it’s always wonderful to be able to watch the different people that visit the library - little kids with their parents, sweet older couples who spend the entire afternoon reading together - it can really help me put things in perspective.
Some of these strategies are definitely a little out of the box, but I've found that they work very well for me and maybe, if you're just as odd as I am, they'll work for you too! What are your favorite ways to de-stress? Life can get crazy so I'm always looking for new ideas!
Thanks for reading ♥
