Stress and Relaxation
We’ve all been in a situation at work where it’s been a very trying and stressful week which effects your overall mood and all you want to do when the weekend arrives is to go home, slam the front door in and veg in front of the tv and catch up with a favourite box set, ordering a takeaway and eating left over dessert or anything else that tantalises the taste buds followed by a glass of wine or three. These situations tend to happen and sometimes hard to avoid. So what can you do to combat the stress you are experiencing? Instead of looking of ways to avoid it, find creative ways that will help you relax and destress.
In this blog post, I’m going to present you with some of the ways that you can use to help you unwind and relax.
Find a Relaxing Ritual
Avoid relaxing in front of the tv as it can actually have the opposite effect. Opt for a simple solution like spending time with loved ones, mindful meditation breathing exercises, yoga, going out for a walk and spend time in nature or having a warm bath and turning it into a mini spa. The important part is to find a routine that suits you and do it on a regular basis until it becomes second nature.
Music lover
If your journey back home is a long car or bus ride the best way to spend the time is sit back and choose the right tune on your phone or radio station and allow yourself to enjoy the music. It is said that classical music relieves stress and good for your health but everybody has different musical tastes but as long as the music is relaxing and it inspires you and lifts your mood then that’s good. Make the most of your ride home.
Find a hobby
Having a hobby is a great solution for stress. If your work focuses mostly on your mind then opt a physical hobby like running or going to the gym or dancing. If your job consists of manual labour, then you could opt for a hobby that relaxes your mind like writing or photography. If you have an interest in playing music or can play an instrument it’s a relaxing hobby that combines routine and music and will help you get your mind off work related stressful situations. Hobbies are more than just an activity – it’s a way to learn something new and grow and a great way to socialise.
Painting is another choice because colours have a soothing effect on the psyche. Even if you aren’t the best at it and end up painting colourful stick men just allow the colours to take the stress out of you. The idea is to have fun and forget the awful week you had and focus on the canvas instead. It’s a great way to slow everything down and allow yourself some well-earned me time.
Sweat, Sweat, Sweat
Sweating your stress out is a brilliant way to unwind after a hard day at work. You may opt for the gym and the exercise is bound to relieve stress and improve your overall health. If the gym is not your thing, there are various other options e.g. swimming is perfect for a whole body workout and have some time out from the outside world or if you feel more like socialising, you could try Zumba. It’s a really fun way to exercise and learn some Salsa, Reggaton or any other Latin American dance steps infused with aerobic exercise and spend some time with other people that are into fitness.
If you really don’t like the idea of any exercise, you could try out a steam room to cleanse your body or you could book an 30, 60 or 90 min slot with a Massage Therapist as it is known that massage reduces the stress hormone cortisol in the body which helps to lift moods and lower blood pressure.
Turn Your Screen Off
While a lot of people tend to unwind in front of the tv or a computer screen, it actually has an opposite effect. It has been proven that too much screen time has a detrimental effect on the quality of your sleep (insomnia), which results in higher levels of stress, so therefore reduces your ability to deal with daily situations. So opt for other ways to relax, and turn off your screen.
