5 Ways to De-Stress When You Are Short on Time

STRESS, a six-letter word that nearly all Americans struggle with. Stress can be very... well, stressful! It is not easy to cope with and can potentially lead to medical issues down the road. (Trust me, I know!) Being a person that constantly deals with stress from things like work, friends, family, marriage or relationships here are my five tips for you to de-stress yourself when you only have a short amount of time.

1) Essential Oils

Okay I know, you probably rolled your eyes at that title. But I am serious! It really works if you do it correctly, and take a little time to understand it. There are actually aromatherapy oils that are specifically designed to make it where you don't have to mix anything. You can put them in a diffuser while you are doing things around the house, you can even apply them to the "special spots" on your body to make them work more. That secret is revealed in another post. Aromatherapy is just the fancy way of saying what you breath affects your brain. I personally love mine, I have a collection of de-stress, sleep, and headache. It takes 30 seconds, maybe even less for an effect that lasts for hours!

2) Go for a walk.

Going for a walk is probably the easiest way to relieve tension and stress. When you go for a walk it gives your mind a chance to reset, giving you emotions time to settle. Whether you take a ten minute walk or a 30 minute walk, it always helps. The thing I most recommend for people that are at work all day is to take five minutes every hour, stand up, stretch, maybe walk to get a water or just around the office. Personally I have found that to relieve a lot of my stress, it's like a small reset button and I always found myself looking forward to it.

3) Step away from the screen.

Electronics can be very distracting. We do not realize it, but they take a whole toll on our body and mind. Staying up late on tablets and phones can be harsh on your eyes, the lights in the device are blue tinted and that can be harmful. Ever feel like after doing a lot of work on the computer you get a headache? That is because of the lights, increased amounts of light to the eyes can cause them to strain, which makes the brain over charge the nerves, creating a headache. Whenever I am working on my laptop I tell myself to look up every few minutes to give my eyes a break. After making small changes to my life, it became easier to work longer and more efficiently. Taking a break from the screen also relieved stress, it gave my mind a chance to relax.

4) Music

Music, something we all enjoy! It is a phenomenal way to put your mind at ease. Music has a unique effect on our brain, different sound waves create different reactions. Sad music will make you sad, happy music will often motivate you, and calm music will often help you relax. I work on a computer all day long, and I ALWAYS have relaxing music playing on YouTube. It's weird they have like seven hour loops that I can turn on and forget about. You have to find that one tune that helps you focus and relax at the same time, but not put you to sleep. For me it is pianos or violins. It is an extremely simple way to keep your stress levels down.

5) Snacks

If you are anything like me you probably just got hungry! Snacks are my favorite thing! I am sure you have heard of stress eating, which can be a bad thing, but it doesn't have to be! I am sure I speak for the majority when I say that food is a huge stress reliever! I am not saying go out and binge eat candy and soda to relax your inner mind, but there are some healthy and easy ways to put your mind at ease in a time of need! Now I am not saying you can't give in to your cravings, a little chocolate never hurt anyone! (Except if you're allergic—then, DO NOT do that!) There are some very simple and easy recipes for light snacks that can stimulate your brain and relax your stress levels!

I hope you found this list useful. There are so many different ways to relieve stress, but not all of us have 45 minutes for a yoga class every Tuesday. These five tips are all things that I do myself, so I know they work, be open minded and try something new! You never know what could work for you, but it is amazing when you find a routine that does!