Top 5 Ways I De-Stress
- Fitness – Yoga/Golfing
- At Home Routines- Cleaning/ Organizing
- Get Out Doors – Hiking with my Dog/Fishing
- Unwind – Salt Bathes/ Spa Night / Reading
- **Secret Tip Below!**
Fitness: – Relaxing exercise is a good option for most people when trying to de-stress from your everyday lives. Options like yoga and golfing provide a more relaxing method to working out. I know a lot of people who like to run to get out their negative energy and they feel great after due to endorphins; if that works for you that is amazing, but for me my choices of fitness are Yoga, walking, and golfing. I generally like to do more relaxing activities because my goal is to enjoy and relax as much as possible.
At Home Routines: – Having daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly routines will help you establish a stress free environment. I don’t know about you, but when my house is a mess, I get stressed out. Or if I am already stressed out, more than likely my house is a mess. Stress and a messy house go hand in hand in a lot of cases. That is why I adopted the FlyLady Cleaning method at home with daily routines. If you want to know more about the FlyLady Cleaning method please click here. When I am stressed I generally start to clean automatically. I like cleaning because it helps put my mind in a good place and is a form of meditation in a sense. After I clean up my house or reorganize something like my closet, I come away with a more controlled and relaxed mind than I started with. Give it a chance, cleaning is my go to and could be yours too.
Get Out Doors: – If you have a clean house and are more geared toward fitness and the out doors, I suggest to take a hike, no really! Take a hike at a nature preserve or park with your dog or alone to get some clarity of mind. Sometimes with a world full of technology and shuffling from home to the car to work back to the car, back home, you forget to actually be outside. Being outside and connecting with nature, while getting some rays, can help clear those cobwebs that social media and technologies can bring. In Asia they call it forest bathing. Click the link and checkout what forest bathing is all about by Allison Aubrey on NPR.
Unwind with a Night in: – Having a good night in is also a good option to help de-stress, especially if you feel like you never have time for yourself. Taking time to pamper yourself helps with clarity of mind and also of body. A spa night it with a few girlfriends can help you relax after a week of stressful work-life or home-life. Spending time with friends and doing your nails while getting all your stresses out with some girl talk can help recharge you for another week or so. Taking time by yourself is also very important. Being constantly surrounded by people is also very stressful and taking a bath with candles and relaxing music can give you a chance to breath and meditate. Meditation is very important in self-care and is the main goal to de-stressing.
**Secret Tip!**: If you really just need an escape and you cannot relax my number one tip is to get away. Go on a trip. Travel to a new country. Traveling for me is the best way to de-stress. When you are stressed your world at home seems very loud in your mind. If you cannot shut off the noise it means that you are overwhelmed and need a break. Getting away on a vacation is tricky sometimes but very beneficial to your health and a break will help clear your mind to continue working. If you cannot go on a long vacation due to time or finances, I suggest planning a weekend trip somewhere new closer to home; go to the beach, plan a day trip to a city or town near by, take your kids to a museum or a zoo, go to the park and do a picnic for an early dinner. There is so much that we can distract our minds with that isn’t work or social media related. So, get out there and do something, anything! I guarantee you will not regret it.
Disclaimer: I know there are people who get stressed out when they travel too. Know your own mind, if you are new to traveling take a chance on it and see how it goes. The trick is to distract your mind from the everyday mundane busy lives we lead and enjoy life, nature and loved ones.
**************** Stay Tuned for Next week’s Travel Tips****************
Live and let Live!
