Terri Ramsey Beavers One-third of Americans report experiencing extreme stress that has affected their psychological and physical well-being.
Stressors in the United States revolve around politics, the pandemic, and, especially, their jobs.
The typical hardworking American will often experience elements of physical and mental stress due to their work environment. These stressors can lead down a dangerous path, causing heart disease, depression, and burnout.
That’s why it’s so important to find time to quiet your mind when a tough work week gets the best of you.
Learn how to salvage the weekend, manage your well-being, and decompress with these handy tips.
Find a Hobby
Roughly 70 percent of Americans confess dissatisfaction with their work. If your job is just a way to make money and support your family, you probably aren’t very passionate about it.
A hobby that you enjoy will give you something to look forward to when the weekend comes along. If you already have a hobby, be sure to make time for it.
Find hours of the day where no one will bug you, like early in the morning or late in the evening when you can delve into your hobby full force.
If you don’t have a hobby, there is a lot of fun in finding one.
Some hobby ideas are:
- Writing
- Crochet or cross-stitch
- Playing an instrument
- Coloring or painting
- Creating digital art
- Collecting items
If you aren’t sure what hobby you’d like to take up, make a list of what interests you. Trying a variety of new activities is sure to relieve stress and anxiety from your life.
Get Outside
Most of us coop up inside our offices all day long. Maybe you have a window, but is that enough to relax you?
Whenever you have time, get outside.
Go to your local nature park or beach for some fresh air. Focus your mind on breathing or observing animal behavior. Whatever gets your mind off of the stressful work week you just had.
Take a Nap
The benefits of napping are severely undervalued by many. Some people think taking a nap qualifies them as “lazy”, but napping doesn’t mean you have to lay down for hours on end.
Studies show that a 30-minute nap is enough to relax and unwind. Half hour naps are best for waking up and feeling refreshed because your body hasn’t achieved REM sleep yet.
So, you won’t wake up feeling groggy. Instead, you’ll be ready to tackle the rest of your day.
Exercise
Exercise will not only alleviate your mental stress, but your body will feel fitter, healthier, and more energized. Some people go hard with strength training and intense cardio.
However, working out doesn’t have to be so intense. If you aren’t a big fan of exercise, you can find videos online for gentle pilates, yoga, and stretching.
Try to see if you can fit in 30 minutes to an hour after work to exercise. Pop in your earbuds and space out, focusing solely on your workout and the music.
Smoke Marijuana
Though marijuana is often used recreationally, people will smoke for medical purposes. Both the CDC and the World Health Organization consider stress and anxiety as medical conditions.
So, a doctor would be able to prescribe you medical marijuana if you are experiencing extreme bouts of stress or burnout.
Once you have your card, you can visit a dispensary or shop online for your prescription.
Marijuana and CBD can work wonders for relaxation. Plus, you get to accessorize with glass pipes, bowls, and other fun items!
Read a Book
What better way to re-focus your mind than jumping into a completely different world?
Reading in a comfy chair or bed allows your body to unwind physically while your mind is sinking into the depths of your page-turning book.
Play a Video Game
If you play video games, finding time to sit back and pop in your favorite game is essential. Gamers find that stress and depression occur more often when they can’t get in any gaming time.
Much like a book, your mind is sent into another world, as another person, going on an exciting adventure.
If you like the story aspect of video games, then choosing a role-playing game is best for you. The characters are dynamic, and the storyline is exciting with plenty of quests.
Then again, many people enjoy action games because they can play online with friends. Joining campaigns with other gamers is roughly the same as hanging out because you get to interact with each other.
Goofing around with friends, whether in person or online, acts as a great stress reliever.
Stay off Your Phone
Social media can be fun, but too much of it leads to unnecessary stress.
There are a few reasons why social media can stress you out more:
- You might see a post that is upsetting to you
- Current events about the world might stress you out
- Your online image might not be as big as others, leading to an obsession to gain followers
Social media isn’t the only stressor incorporated with phone use, either.
After all, it’s hard to decompress with family, friends, and co-workers blowing up your phone with calls and texts.
Turn off your phone, place it in another room to avoid temptation, and focus on something else. Even if it’s just for a little while.
Journal
Journaling is therapeutic. Though, there are many different definitions of journaling.
Some people journal in a simple notebook, writing whatever they are feeling in the moment. While other people journal and involve arts and crafts in the process.
If you are crafty, look up some Bullet Journaling ideas. You will see a variety of fancy journal pages littered with sketches, stickers, and doodles.
If you don’t know what to journal about, some ideas include:
- Recording dreams
- Writing to-do lists
- Writing song playlists
- Writing recipes
- Writing poetry
- Writing current thoughts, feelings, or emotions
- Angry letters no one will ever see
- Writing about nature
You could also whip out a ruler, some colored pencils, and markers to turn your journal into a monthly planner.
Journaling sounds like a lot of work, but as you focus on writing it will help to manage stress and anxiety.
Quiet Your Mind
We hope these relaxation tips have given you multiple ideas on how to quiet your mind when work becomes stressful.
You should take your mental health seriously, and remember that stress and burnout from work can add up over time.
If you implement these ideas into your daily or weekend routine, you will keep stress at bay and maintain your well-being.
If you would like more tips about maintaining a successful, stress-free life, check out our blog today!
Image Attribution:
Pexels.com royalty-free image #321576, uploaded by user Oleksandr Pidvalnyi, retrieved from on January 8th, 2019. License details available at – image is licensed under the Pexels License.