I used to work long hours in a very stressful job, it was the type of job wherein you count every minute, every hour until you finally get to walk out that office door. I had little to zero time for my family, I was drinking a lot. I’ve had problems sleeping because I was so anxious with the thought of going to work the next day. I was gaining so much weight; I was so unhappy and mentally exhausted. I was stressed out – all the time.
I know stress is a major problem for many people – it could be because of a stressful job, all the bad breaks that we are experiencing, personal problems at home and let’s not forget to mention all the bills that we have to worry about. But we need to remind ourselves that too much stress is unhealthy, it will slowly consume the life out of us. Take it from me; I never really did anything to ease the stress that I was feeling at work, I let it consume me until such time that I developed panic attacks because of it.
Now we may not be able to live a stress free life in just a blink of an eye but let’s try to de-stress and refresh our minds one day at a time. I’m personally not a big fan of spending tons of money to relax and de-stress so let me share to you 9 ways to relieve stress and refresh your mind without breaking the bank.
Have a spa day
You don’t have to book an appointment and spend money to do this; you can do this at the comfort of your home, give yourself a manicure and pedicure or pamper yourself with a home-made facial mask.
Take a long and hot bubble bath
Now this one is my favorite! Light yourself some nice smelling candles, get a good book or simply listen to one of your favorite playlist.
Take a walk
Take a walk at your local park or any place that you feel relaxed, and while you’re doing this don’t worry about anything, just live in that present moment.
Read a book
It doesn’t even have to be a new book, you can just simply re read one of your favorite books. This usually helps me in taking my mind off things.
Listen to music that lifts your spirit
And instead of just listening to it, why not sing along with the music, sing your heart out!
Laugh often
When you’ve had a bad or stressful day at work, put on your favorite comedy movie, have yourself a good laugh. You know what they say laughter is the best medicine.
Keep a gratitude journal
Just take 3-5 minutes of your time each day and write down the things that you are most thankful for. It doesn’t matter how big or small it is. I normally do this every night, before I go to bed and I then re read it the next day just to remind me of how blessed I’ am. Trust me, it will do wonders.
Stop and do nothing
Try to take time each day to stop and just do nothing. You can even do this at your desk while you’re at work, just close your eyes for 2-3 minutes and breathe. Breathe in. Breathe out. You can also add a couple stretches if you’d like. Allow your mind and body to refresh.
Learn to say no
Learn to say no to any unnecessary commitment and have zero guilt while doing it. Say yes to yourself and not to other people.
Now remember each person is different. While this worked for me, I can’t guarantee that this will also work for you. Choose the ones that will work best for you and give it a try.
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How about you? What do you do to de-stress? Do you have any tips that you would like to add? Let me know in the comment section below.