8 Ways to Decompress After a Stressful Day
We all have days that sometimes get the best of us, but NO MATTER what, we have control over how we respond to the everyday stressors of life.
Whether it be work or family related, EVERYONE needs time to simply decompress.
With so many distractions in today’s world, it’s very easy to get caught up in the wrong things.
Social media is a black hole of distractions that sometimes add to our stress depending on what it is that is being consumed.
Nevertheless, today, I am going to share 8 Ways for You to Decompress After a Stressful Day. These tools are useful for EVERYDAY decompressing but especially so on the stressful ones.
Often times, we leave work and immediately jump into our next activity for the day.
NEVER taking time to slow down and “smell the roses”.
We live at a fast paced, go, go go, rate and NEVER notice the effects of the daily hustle and bustle.
So, let’s get to it shall we? Below, you will find 8 different ways to HELP you decompress after stressful days:
EXERCISE: Exercise is natural way to rebalance your mind, body, and spirit. When we exercise our body releases chemicals called endorphins. The release of endorphins triggers positive feeling in the body which allows us to easily and NATURALLY decompress. Daily walks or 30 minutes of exercise is a great way to incorporate this activity.
MEDIATION: Mediation is probably the most difficult decompressor for me personally but during Yoga, it is golden! Mediation requires that you CLOSE your eyes, relax, and FOCUS on your breathing. It requires deep, slow, and long breaths. So much easier said than done but very possible, nonetheless. Try it out for 5 minutes each day then increase your time as you feel comfortable. Also consider incorporating mediation with Yoga. You will knock out two birds with one stone, exercise plus mediation.
JOURNALING: Journaling is a great way to FREELY express your thoughts. Word Vomit is totally a thing. Whether it be good, bad, ugly, or indifferent, word vomit happens. Not only do we verbally vomit our words, but we also take things to social media. When in actuality all that NEEDED to be done was a quick journal entry. Write down your thoughts in your journal. Take time to process what you feel and why you may feel it.
MUSIC + SINGING + DANCING: Music, singing, and dancing was added just because I LOVE IT! Music itself has the ability to alter your mood but combining it with a little singing and dancing makes it ALL the better. Make a feel-good playlist of your FAVORITE jams and after a long day, use that playlist to sing and dance it out. HAVE FUN in your personal judgement free zone!
TAKE A MENTAL HEALTH DAY: Mental health days are not often talked about BUT at times very needed. It’s what I like to call a “DO-NOTHING” day. It’s a day you take to recharge, refocus, and recalibrate your life. It could be a day of sleep or a day of self-care, either way, take the time to do what you want to do. NOTHING more, nothing less. Whatever you need to recharge, DO IT.
DISCONNECT: Disconnect by definition means to “break the connection of or between”. We are connected to other people and their lives, literally ALL the time by way of the internet. Sometimes, you just need to UNPLUG. Put your phone down, turn it off, or even on do not disturb. Nevertheless, DISCONNECT, spend time with yourself. BE FREE from being constantly available or consuming content that is NOT beneficial to you.
TAKE A NAP: Naps are AMAZING and will forever be amazing! The best medicine for your body is REST. Having a long day at work? Take a quick nap and then finish out your day. My lunch break naps, pre-covid, were REALLY life changing. Now during covid, it is still life changing and more comfortable. TRY IT!
EXPLORE OUTDOORS: Exploring the good ole outdoors is peaceful! If you’ve never hiked and enjoy being outside, I recommend giving it a try. NEVER hike alone. EXPLORE, look around, and take time to appreciate all that nature has to offer. It is truly breathtaking. Also consider visiting a local park, maybe have a picnic or relax outside and just enjoy the scenery.
There are so many ways to decompress from a stressful day but DO NOT LIMIT the tools above as activities that can ONLY take place when you are stressed.
It’s great to incorporate at least ONE tool DAILY no matter what your day may have consisted of.
The important part and point of this post is to learn how to better TAKE CARE OF YOU! Work will ALWAYS be there, but there is no guarantee that you will be, so take care of YOU!
Share with me ways you decompress each day! Let’s talk in the comments!!!
