Discover simple yet effective tips to relax and alleviate stress daily. Incorporate these strategies into your routine for a calmer and more peaceful life.
When life gets you down or you simply need a break from constantly being “on,” it is okay to take a step back and focus on yourself. Sometimes all you need is a small moment or two to yourself to refocus. And at other times, you might want to spend more time on re-centering. Continue reading to learn a variety of different ways you can relax in your everyday life.
It is important to note that the information below does not constitute medical advice. It is merely a collection of helpful things anyone can do to alleviate worries and reduce their stress levels. Always consult a mental health professional or healthcare provider if problems become too much to handle on your own.
Play a Quiet Game Alone
There is something peaceful and calming about playing the game of solitaire. Whether you use your ever-present smartphone or an old-school deck of cards, it is a great way to refocus yourself. When playing solitaire, you use problem-solving skills, analytics, and strategic planning to think ahead and determine your next move.
As you are playing a card game, such as solitaire, you do not need to talk with anyone else, which allows you to pay attention to yourself and reduces the need to worry about others. It is a cathartic pastime in which you can relax. Fun fact: Sometimes solitaire goes by the name of patience instead.
A significant potential benefit of playing solitaire, beyond taking a much-needed break, is that it can help with cognitive brain function. Brain games, as they are sometimes called, can aid in increasing neuroplasticity, which can help to improve short-term memory. Stress reduction and cognitive increases—that’s a win.
Choose Better Foods
The food you put into your body has an immense impact on how you will feel in that moment, throughout the day, and beyond. If you constantly reach for a bag of over-processed chips whenever you want a snack, you will likely feel guilty afterwards. That resultant guilt leads to anxiety and bad feelings about your body and personal choices.
Break the cycle by choosing better food every day. You do not have to completely go off the crisps. Instead, eat them in moderation. Create an environment where healthy eating choices are easier to make by keeping your kitchen stocked with fresh fruit. Purchase fruits you actually enjoy eating instead of ones you think you should like just because they are healthy.
When you eat better, you feel better. Consuming a balanced diet of nutrient-rich foods supports a healthy immune system. In addition, when you are properly fueled, you will have enough energy to handle the stressful situations that will inevitably come your way.
Focus on Your Breathing
You have to breathe anyway, so why not really pay attention to your natural breathing and learn a little about how that focus can help you relax? When you truly lean into your breathing, it becomes a meditative act that allows you to move into the practice of mindfulness.
In mindfulness, you are essentially allowing yourself to be present in the time and space you are currently in. You set aside any to-do lists, responsibilities, and worries and simply be. It is a practice that can take some time to get used to because it is difficult to put all of the noise in your head aside, even for a few minutes. And that is why you should try it. As you continue in the practice of mindfulness and focused breathing, it will become easier to transition into that relaxed state over time and when you need it most.
Watch this video to learn how five quick minutes of attentive breathing can help alleviate stress.
Change Your Relationship With Your Phone
Smartphones are truly amazing. They are computers in the palm of your hand that can provide endless hours of content, information, organization, entertainment, and mounting stress. If you feel the need to check every single text, email, push notification, or Slack message that pops up on your phone, you need a break.
It is time to venture into your phone’s settings. Go through the options and toggle off unnecessary push notifications. (Hint: Most of your notifications are not emergent.) That cat game you play—twitch it off. Your children’s school—keep that one on. Instagram—nope, off it goes. You get the idea.
Next, look at your text messages and other messaging apps. If you are on a multitude of group texts, go ahead and remove yourself or request removal from ones that no longer serve you or provide pertinent information. If you helped at a fundraiser last year and will not be helping this year but received texts from the planning committee, you can let that one go. There may be some chats that you want to be a part of but do not need to read throughout the day. Go ahead and hide them. Check later when you have time, and you will still be in the loop.
Seek Professional Help
As with anything in life, and as mentioned above, sometimes you need to call in the experts. That goes for mental health, as well. If things truly become too much to bear, there is no need to suffer in silence. Reach out to the multitude of agencies that are available to assist you in your time of need.
Professional help is not a one-size-fits-all approach. Take note of that in case you find yourself in a situation where the help or advice does not seem to be working or resonate with your station in life. There are resources that range from licensed mental health providers to family counsellors or clergy members. A quick internet search will get you a phone number for a mental health provider and get you started on your journey to wellness.
In Conclusion
By utilizing these accessible tips, you can incorporate more relaxing moments into your everyday life. There will always be stress. There will always be external and even internal noise. But you can make a difference in how you feel by handling your stress and finding easy and proactive ways to calm yourself whenever you need to. Try one of these helpful tips today.
