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It’s been a long week, and you are completely burnt out. A pile of projects, a long commute, fueled by a ton of coffee because you’ve skipped lunch; we’ve all had a week like that. You come home exhausted and stressed out, ready to order chinese takeout and eat an entire pint of Ben and Jerry’s, but don’t do that just yet! I have a few tips and tricks that will take you to your happy place without taking you to your freezer or Seamless account.
Veg out
Break out the snacks and binge watch trashy reality TV or your favorite Netflix show. Vegging out isn’t limited to a TV or computer screen; curl up with a cheesy romance novel or a more serious read for the night.
Dance your troubles away
One of my favorite ways to relieve stress is dancing. Yes, I like to literally shake it off (Hey Taylor!). Make a playlist of your favorite tunes (here’s my current playlist), turn up the volume, press play and just dance. Be as silly or choreographed as you want with your moves, and choose some songs you can sing along to!
Get a new hobby
Trashy TV shows don’t exactly stimulate your mind (unless you’re conducting an anthropological study), so try picking up a new hobby! Take a trip to the local craft store, where you can buy paints and canvas, needles and yarn, or other crafting supplies to create Pinterest-worthy pieces. You may not be the next Martha Stewart or Monet, but you’ll have fun channeling your inner artist or domestic goddess.
Just breathe
When all else fails, just take a deep breathe (or two). Focus on your breathing and only your breathing; this allows you to decompress and relax without reliving the day’s stresses.
Too restless to sit still for breathing exercises or meditation? Try yoga! It can be as simple as a downward dog and sun salutations, or as complicated as the pigeon pose. Yoga Journal has poses that will help with everything from hangovers to stress relief.
How do you cope with stress? Let me know in the comments below!