Ask for time off from work. If necessary, use a vacation day. Note that most managers appreciate advance notice — a few weeks is often enough. If you have children, hire a sitter. Children can be adorable most of the time, but sometimes they’re nightmares. Eliminate the risk of having a hair-pulling day with your children by putting them under the watch of a responsible caretaker for a day. If necessary, make travel arrangements. Sometimes, a change of scenery can be just what’s needed to relax. If you’d like to get out of town, buy tickets and make hotel reservations ahead of time to avoid hectic last-minute shopping.
People’s tastes in terms of water temperature can vary greatly. Scientifically speaking, the most relaxing baths are a little less than piping hot — any hotter can actually force your body to work harder, rather than relax (though your bath will still feel good. ) Note that pregnant women should not take hot baths. [2] X Research source
Try your hand at a creative task. When was the last time you painted a picture, wrote a song, or composed a short story? If you can’t remember, consider tackling one of these art projects today at your own pace. Do a DIY home improvement project. Putting a little work into your home can be an immensely fulfilling activity (plus, it’s usually a good use of time and energy in the long term if it cuts down on maintenance costs. ) Read a book. Real, honest-to-goodness paper books can be a rarity today. There’s nothing quite like sitting by the fire with your favorite paperback for a few hours, so consider this relaxing option. Play some video games. There’s nothing wrong with vegging out on the couch for a few hours with your favorite game. However, if this is something you already do on a regular basis, you might want to consider devoting your time to a hobby you get to pursue less often.
If you don’t feel like cooking, don’t hesitate to get a table at your favorite restaurant or try something new, like hotpot. You can also order take-out if you’d rather eat at home. Chilling with good food is too satisfying an experience to ignore!
Paying bills Sending letters/packages Applying to jobs Dealing with customer service problems Taking care of government/civic duties (i. e. , going to the DMV, voting, etc. )
If you have time, you might even want to plan a movie night with your friends. You can pick a theme (i. e. , creature features, etc. ) or go freestyle — it’s up to you. Though it can be somewhat pricey today, heading to the movie theater/cinema with friends can be another way to enjoy a movie. If your friends aren’t available, you can still go by yourself, though some people don’t like this. Try looking for matinee showings to save money if you don’t want to shell out unneeded cash.
Don’t feel pressured to go out if you don’t want to — your friends will still be around tomorrow if you skip one night to get some sleep. Conversely, don’t be afraid to enjoy a single night out with your friends if it’s been a while since you’ve had the opportunity to cut loose. The exception, of course, is if you have major obligations the following day, in which case staying up late and partying can leave you too exhausted to function.
Don’t feel pressured to go out if you don’t want to — your friends will still be around tomorrow if you skip one night to get some sleep. Conversely, don’t be afraid to enjoy a single night out with your friends if it’s been a while since you’ve had the opportunity to cut loose. The exception, of course, is if you have major obligations the following day, in which case staying up late and partying can leave you too exhausted to function.
Keep in mind, however, that getting over-intoxicated can be a major stress. For instance, not only can heavy drinking lead to hangover, nausea, and other unpleasant physical symptoms, but also poor decision making, which can lead to long-lasting stresses (like jail time) if you’re not careful.
Removing yourself from the source of your stress — even just for a little bit — can be a huge help in relaxing. It’s well-known among psychologists and business experts that semi-frequent short breaks can be a huge boon to creativity and morale, leading workers to be happier and more productive in the long run. [6] X Trustworthy Source MedlinePlus Collection of medical information sourced from the US National Library of Medicine Go to source
For example, let’s say that you’re almost ready to leave work on a Friday afternoon when your boss pops into your office and gives you an unexpected assignment for the weekend. At this point, as you feel the frustration building inside you, you can either give in to these feelings and fume over this injustice for the entire weekend or (preferably) start to think about why this peeves you so much. For instance, is it because you feel like your employer doesn’t adequately reward you for the time and effort you put into your company? If so, you may want to make a long-term effort to find a new job or negotiate for a better arrangement.
For example, in the situation above, it might be a good idea to call home after work to vent about your problems with a parent or sibling. On the other hand, it’s probably not a good idea to talk to your annoying roommate about it — especially if tensions are already high because he’s behind on rent.
In our example with the unplanned weekend workload, a constructive thing to do in this situation might be to head to the gym after work rather than go straight home. Here, we can take out our frustrations in a healthy way by going for a run, lifting weights, or, if we’re really mad, clobbering a punching bag.
For information (including detailed instructions on how to clear your mind of stressful thoughts), see our excellent meditation article.
In our example situation, the best course of action is probably to complete our assignment as quickly as possible Friday night or Saturday morning so that we’ll have plenty of time to do the things we want to over the weekend. When we get back on Monday, we may want to meet with the boss to discuss an arrangement that will avoid these sorts of “crunch time” scenarios in the future. Resist the urge to cope by procrastinating. Delaying work now just leads to more stress later, especially if you have to scramble to meet a deadline. Once you’ve completed your task, you’ll be able to appreciate your chill out time fully without lingering worries about how you’ll deal with the commitments you’ve put off.
Though the connection between time outdoors and a good mood still isn’t 100% understood, sunlight seems to be a key part of the equation. In fact, studies have shown that being exposed to bright (artificial) light in the morning when it would normally be dark out can help people with Seasonal Affective Disorder feel better. [12] X Trustworthy Source Cleveland Clinic Educational website from one of the world’s leading hospitals Go to source For long-term benefits, try making outdoor activity a part of your weekly schedule. For example, going for a short hike every Saturday morning is a good way to get yourself feeling relaxed and energized for the rest of your weekend.
Check out our comprehensive article on exercise for all sorts of useful information on making exercise a part of your life, including sample routines for every skill level.
It’s also important to recognize that the relationship between sleep and stress works the other way as well. In other words, just like a lack of sleep can lead to stress, stress can itself can make it difficult to get to sleep.
