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Take a walk — alone, with a friend, or with the dog.
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Take a few deep breaths. Breathe in slowly, then slowly exhale. Picture the tension leaving your body as you let all the air out.
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Listen to some music that relaxes you.
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Get up and dance.
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Read a good book, magazine, or newspaper.
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Meditate. Close your eyes and mentally follow your breath as it goes in and out. Visualize a peaceful and meaningful scene as you breathe. This exercise is most effective if done for 10 to 20 minutes.
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"Conduct" a recording, whether on the radio or from your own collection. Waving your arms to the beat of a favorite piece of music can be both physically and emotionally relaxing.
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Laugh out loud. Check out a comedy club, see a funny movie, read a joke book, call a friend who always seems to have a supply of one-liners.
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Have a massage, or practice self-massage. Reach around to left shoulder with right hand from in front. Massage your shoulder muscles, working your way up your neck to your scalp. Repeat on the other side.
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Exercise. Any aerobic workout will do.
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Sing a song. Don't worry about how you sound. Just the process of singing can relieve tension.
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Practice positive self-talk. Make a list of things causing stress in your life and your responses to them. For every self-defeating "cause," write a positive response, such as, "I'm the best person for this job."
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Do something you like: a hobby, repairing an appliance, entertaining children, baking cookies, arranging photos in an album, organizing a closet, anything to get your mind off stressful thoughts or situations.
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Do some simple yoga stretches.
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Draw or paint a picture. Drawing can help you use mental skills you may not use in everyday life. Focus on what you're drawing, not on how good the picture is. You don't have to be Rembrandt to relax this way.
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Talk to someone: a friend, a therapist, a doctor, a relative, a co-worker, a clergyman, anyone with a sympathetic ear and a few attentive moments to spare.
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If a too busy schedule is causing you stress, practice setting limits on your obligations. Always keep some time for yourself.
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Take care of business. If you've been putting off a task, or duty, bite the bullet, confront the situation, dive in, act now, make a decision, close the books on it, and enjoy the relief of getting it over with.
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Sit up straight. Slumping can cause tension in your neck and back muscles and send a message of discouragement to your mind.
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Actively relax. While sitting or lying in a relaxed position, tense the muscles of your feet, and then relax them. Do the same to your legs, stomach, back, arms, neck, and facial muscles.
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Take a nap
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Stop trying to concentrate or focus on something. If you wear glasses, take them off for a moment. Move away from whatever is taking your attention and let your mind wander for a brief mental recess.
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Have a cup of tea, mineral water, fruit or vegetable juice, or hot broth. Avoid alcohol or caffeine.
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Take a drive in the country.
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Do something to avoid temperature extremes. If you're too hot, find a way to cool off. If you're too cold, find a way to warm up. But respect the temperature needs of others, negotiating whenever possible.
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Read aloud to a child.
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Sit in your garden or a park and listen to all the sounds. Hear the birds, traffic, airplanes overhead, dogs barking, others talking. Focus on one sound for a few seconds, then focus on another, and so on.
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Go for a bike ride. Remember to wear your helmet!
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Visit the zoo or city aquarium. Or go to your local animal shelter and bring home a loving pet.
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Volunteer at any non-profit or charitable agency.
- Visit an art museum. For some people, the quiet of an art museum is relaxing. When you find a picture you like, spend a few minutes really looking at it.