But when the stress boilover happens during work, at a party, or in public, dropping everything to take a nap is definitely not a good look. And in these situations, stress can also join teams with anxiety, leaving you figuring out how to rein in both emotions. If music isn’t one of your interests, turn your attention to another hobby you enjoy. For example, try gardening, sewing, reading or sketching. Or try anything that makes you focus on what you’re doing rather than what you think you should be doing. Eating a healthy diet is an important part of taking care of yourself.
- The Calm app puts the tools to feel better in your back pocket, with personalized content to manage stress and anxiety, get better sleep, and feel more present in your life.
- Work stress that goes unresolved may lead to emotional and mental challenges and decreased productivity.
- Yep, talking to yourself or about yourself in third person is a form of exerting self-control over negative emotions.
- DBT leverages lists like this to help participants identify activities they can use to boost their mood and cope with challenges.
- Stretching, using essential oils, scanning your body for muscular tension, and foam rolling are just a few of the many ways to relieve stress quickly.
Get enough sleep
The problem is that this can magnify stress levels so that they are even higher after the commute home than they were at the end of the workday. If this sounds like you, now is the time to take the reigns and make your commute a time to shrug off the stress of the day. In the coming week, try to really notice your thoughts and habits as you drive home if you’re not already aware of them. Preventing work-related stress can involve strategies to manage potential stressors and maintain a how to destress after work healthy work-life balance.
Can exercise really help me unwind after work?
- Relaxation techniques are often free or low cost and pose little risk.
- Although we can’t simply wish the pandemic away, we can, even as adults, find new ways to de-stress and ignite moments of meaning and joy within our day.
- Listening to or playing music is a good stress reliever.
If you’re having a hard time with an incredibly challenging work week, try asking parent friends if they can help carpool your kids to school on certain days. Listening to an interesting podcast between meetings or watching a funny YouTube video can give you relaxing pauses throughout the day. The more relaxed you are, the more productive you can be.
Limit screen time
If it’s unrelated to anything, maybe it’s a sign your mind and body need a break. Writing down your thoughts and feelings can be a good release for otherwise pent-up feelings. You might want to do it all, but you can’t, at least not without paying a price.
Super quick de-stressing tips
A clean and clutter-free environment can promote better sleep quality and productivity. So next time you need to unwind after work, let out your pent-up stress by vacuuming furiously fast around the house. Enlisting support can also entail having someone to gently remind you to refocus your thoughts and energy if you start getting bogged down by stressful thoughts of work. If relaxation exercises are not helping reduce your stress, you should seek the help of a mental health professional. They’ll be able to recommend a specific treatment plan suited to your needs. There are many benefits to keeping your brain and body relaxed.
Memorize this yoga routine
Deep breathing is an effective way to reduce anxiety, stress, and depression. Fortunately, there are tips and tricks that can help you get your cortisol levels down. If you need quick tips to keep your heart beating at a more manageable rate, read our ways to calm stress in five minutes or less. And how well and how long you sleep can affect your mood, energy level, focus and overall functioning. If you have sleep troubles, make sure that you have a quiet, relaxing bedtime routine. For example, listen to soothing music, make sure the area you sleep in is cool, dark and quiet, put phones and tablets away, and stick to a regular schedule.
- Read on to gain a greater understanding of how smart people unwittingly magnify job stress, and how you can leave work at work as much as you possibly can.
- But some of the basic fundamental stuff is where Richardson really struggles.
- It means cultivating healthy relationships to help you feel fulfilled and take your mind off of stress.
Wherever you fall on the spectrum, there are ways to cope. Also, consider joining a sports team, a book club or volunteering at a local organization — finding ways to foster social connections can help manage your stress levels and improve your mental health. Purposefully slowing down and being conscious of your surroundings can keep you relaxed throughout the week. Meditation, deep breathing exercises, and mindfulness calm stress and anxiety. By disconnecting from digital distractions, you create space for deeper relaxation and rejuvenation, setting the stage for a restful night’s sleep and a refreshed start to the next day. So, the best way to unwind after work is to shut your phone down and enjoy some tech-free time—unless you want to stay awake all night counting sheep.