This means prioritizing sleep, setting aside time for fun, and ensuring you eat throughout the day. If you’re having a hard time with an incredibly challenging work week, try asking parent friends if they can help carpool your kids to school on certain days. Listening to an interesting podcast between meetings or watching a funny YouTube video can give you relaxing pauses throughout the day. Experiencing work strain is unavoidable — even if you love what you do. You can take actionable steps to keep job stress at a manageable level.
Your phone might be causing you more stress than you realize. Instead of checking your phone every five minutes, you’ll be able to relax. Hugging someone you trust can protect you from the negative impacts of stress and fight off infections. So, find someone you trust and give them a big hug – you’ll feel better. Take a few minutes after work for some slow, deep breathing to decrease your tension.
Memorize this yoga routine
If you need quick tips to keep your heart beating at a more manageable rate, read our ways to calm stress in five minutes or less. Massage therapy is proven to reduce stress and anxiety and can even increase your serotonin levels over time, according to scientists. Contrary to popular belief, cleaning isn’t always a dreaded chore. Cleaning and organizing your personal space can help you unwind while keeping you healthier and happier—and might lead you to view your home as more restful and restorative. Next time you need to unwind after work, let out your pent-up stress by vacuuming furiously fast around the house.
- However, any music you love, not just classical, will help you feel happier and less stressed.
- When your body goes into emergency mode, you stop worrying about meetings and appointments.
- This will give you the mental clarity you need to relax by getting all those work-based thoughts down on paper in a structured plan.
- The adrenal gland, located just above the kidneys, releases an emergency hormone known as adrenaline into the bloodstream.
- Reading the Bible is another way to unwind after work, as it puts your focus back on God.
Cooking can be a de-stressing technique and there is nothing better way than cooking something you like and enjoying a great meal. Running, swimming, playing a sport, skating, or going to the gym are excellent alternatives to put into practice. We’ll skip all the typical recommendations — Netflix, Prime Video, etc. — and suggest some deeper cuts, namely music videos and video game content on YouTube.
Homegrown Weed and Zelda: Redditors Who Embrace ‘Simple Living’ Share How They Unwind After Work
We mentioned walking earlier, but that was just a quick break. Routine exercise can help improve the way your body uses oxygen and helps you cope with stressful situations. You may be able to feel the difference as you stick to your routine. Stretching, using essential oils, scanning your body for muscular tension, and foam rolling are just a few of the many ways to relieve stress quickly. Working with a healthcare professional if these strategies don’t work is highly advised.
One Redditor’s relaxation ritual involves a drink and a podcast followed by hot tea and a book. “It’s a routine I have fallen in love with,” they write, adding that they recommend the “Philosophize This” podcast. Despite all the modern-day how to destress after work distractions — social media, binge-worthy shows, and an unending supply of “content” — people still come back to jigsaw puzzles. In fact, one Redditor says that solving a difficult puzzle is their “favorite” relaxation activity.