Best 5 Quick (and Fun!) Ways to Destress Everyday
Stress courses through our body on a daily basis and in small doses it can be the motivation we need to accomplish goals that were otherwise out of reach (looking at you, fellow procrastinator). But it’s when we no longer have the time to give that stress an outlet that it can build into anxiety, depression, insomnia or constant exhaustion. The solution? Build these simple, fun exercises and habits into your daily routine to stay on top of your game. Here are 5 Best Ways to Destress Every Day.
1.) Don’t Neglect Your Precious Sleep!
Although this does change depending on how old you are, eight hours is a general rule of thumb, and sleep plays an obviously important role in our lives. It helps us to recharge and, according to NIH, over time it will help protect our mental and physical health, quality of life and safety. If you are not sleeping the right amount of hours and dealing with immense stress, your body will start to shut down. Over time, lack of sleep will cause issues with controlling the way that you feel, being attentive at work, and even making ordinary decisions. FOCL Night is a nice natural sleep aid if you have been having trouble getting that nice sleep. Sleep is the number one best ways to destress every day. Do you sleep comfortably? If not it may be time to get a new mattress.
2.) Clear Your Mind with Some Thoughtful Meditation
Just a few years ago, NIH released a study that stated nearly 18 million adults and just over 927,000 children practice meditation as a way of managing pain and stress rather than using medication or other treatments that may not be as effective. Typically focused on one’s breathing, meditation is all about removing any distracting thoughts and feelings. Instead, focus on the present and what is happening in the moment. If you feel that meditation is “new age,” it does not need to be. For Christians and other religions, this meditative time is an affective way we connect with God. As Mother Teresa said, “In the silence of the heart God speaks. If you face God in prayer and silence, God will speak to you.”
3.) Unleash the Power of Herbs
If you ever find yourself pounding away at the keyboard and slamming one energy drink after another to hit a deadline, you might feel like you’re being productive, but your body would argue otherwise. And it will let you know eventually. Try the Pomodoro Technique to get more done with less stress.
- Decide on the task at hand
- Set the Pomodoro (timer) to 25 minutes
- Work on the task until the timer expires.
- Take a Short Break (5 minutes)
- Every four “pomodoros”, take a Long Break (10 minutes)
Get up after 25 minutes, brew an herbal tea with stress-relieving chamomile, mint or valerian tea and instead of staring at a screen, look out the window for five minutes. Add a few drops of minty FOCL tincture to your tea and you’ll return to your task more focused and blissfully relaxed.
Stress creeps unnoticed into our lifestyle, but it can be eased out of our routine just as stealthily. Make any of these techniques a daily habit, and you’ll soon notice that you’re feeling lighter, fresher and more energized. This is one of the best ways to destress every day.
4.) Tap into Something Creative
One of the mantras of productivity evangelists is an obsession with always being busy. How many times have you been told that you should have every moment planned and filled in the day ahead? But we all know that that mindset can lead to burnout in no time at all. In fact, if you give your brain the time to unplug and “do nothing,” it will take the opportunity to recharge. Take a break and do some doodling, painting or even just a little cooking. There may be no goal or purpose, but the creativity alone boosts your well-being and allows stress to escape.
Stressed mum? Here’s how to take the pressure off
5.) Take Tidying Up to the Next Level
If the thought of tidying up fills you with anxiety, we won’t try to convince you that it’s “fun” in the conventional sense (though plugging into a podcast or some feel-good music can definitely help amp up the fun factor). But entertainment and reward are on offer with a quick power-tidy. There’s plenty of evidence that clutter and disorder make us stressed. You don’t need to set aside the whole day to fix the mess. Break the task down into a series of short two-minute assaults and treat it like a video game. Cushions plumped and aligned? Area clear. Trash can emptied? Level up! Dishwasher stacked? Achievement unlocked. You will be surprised that being tidy is one of the best ways to destress every day.
There is a great book called: The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing
