It's important to realize that stress, especially when not managed properly, is a major health threat. Allowing stress to build and overcome you can irritability, depression, and many more other harmful emotions that will make you feel like you're not yourself. Although it's nearly impossible to remain stress-free for the entirety of your life, you should always try to properly address stress as it comes into your life. Here are 13 things to do when stress gets the best of you:
1. Have a spa day.
Go get your hair done, paint your nails, do a face mask. Pampering yourself is known to be therapeutic.
2. Read a good book.
There’s nothing better than reading a riveting story that pulls you out of your head and puts you in its world. Make yourself some tea, grab a blanket, curl up on the couch and get lost in words.
3. Go out with friends.
Plan a hangout session with your friends! Whether you all choose to go to a party, go bowling, or something more relaxed like staying in watching Netflix, having your friends around always brings calming energy.
4. Take yourself out to lunch.
I’m not talking about buying a fast food meal and eating it in your stuffy room, I’m talking about going into a sit-in restaurant and enjoying a calming meal by yourself. Who cares if you go alone, use this time to organize your thoughts.
Bonus: Choose outside seating if you can to get some fresh air.
5. Enjoy nature.
Whether it’s a luxurious beach day or a calming walk in the park, soak up the sun’s rays and detox from whatever’s stressing you.
6. Rewatch your favorite movie.
Watch the movie that made you smile again. Find comfort in its predictability and laugh at all the same parts. Remind yourself of how happy you were the last time you watched the movie. Remind yourself that you’ll be that happy again.
7. Call your mom.
Even if you already talk to her every day, call her and let her know what’s going on with you. Confide in her and listen to how her day went. Nothing’s better than confiding in someone who knows you inside and out.
8. Video call your best friend.
Seeing the face that you have so many fond memories with might just bring you that needed joy. Update them on your life and find out what’s new with them. Make new memories together and reshare your inside jokes.
9. Nothing.
I know it sounds crazy but doing nothing may be the most calming thing of all. You probably spend so much time trying to make sure that everything is perfect, why not just take a minute to realize that you can’t control everything.
10. Make a checklist.
Even if it’s a checklist filled with small things like taking out the trash, creating a checklist and completing it will make you feel productive which could help with calming your nerves.
11. Listen to your favorite album.
Listen to that song that never fails to get you on your feet, the one that you can always dance to like no one is watching.
12. Exercise.
Push your body and use your muscles to put all that pent-up frustration into a good workout.
13. Watch the Sunset.
Even if it’s from your window, watch the sky turn pretty colors as the sun sets and remind yourself that with each sunset, comes a sunrise.
