Stress Relievers

Searching for stress relief techniques? It doesn't have to be complicated. You don't need to pay a lot of money to do some simple yet effective stress relief activities.

Here are just a few examples. I'm sure you can find a lot more.

1. Go out side and play with your dog. You not only get some fresh air, you give your dog some needed exercise. If you don't want to play, take your dog for a walk around the block, or to a park. Walking your dog is a great time to see the little things in life so often ignored as we scurry about our normal routine.

2. Listen to soothing music. Pick some relaxing music devoid of lyrics. It could be sounds of ocean waves, or birds singing. Relaxation tapes or CDs can be found at most drug stores or big box consumer stores. Or, pick some favourite classical music that you've found helps your mind tune out distractions. I had a professor years ago that played classical music throughout the day, at a low volume, in his office to help him free his mind to write.

3. Hum. Sound silly? Not for me. I developed this habit in my office bound career. I knew I couldn't scream at work (also another technique), so I started to hum whenever I found myself starting to get irritated. It usually doesn't offend anyone, and you can hum whatever melody you want. The melody doesn't even have to be a recognizable tune - just hum.

4. Sing. From my days of long commutes in hectic traffic, I would sing away to my favourite tunes on the radio, or to my favourite artist on my CD collection. Singing, by the way, is a great technique to free your vocal chords just before making that speech.

5. Scream. If you use screaming, do this one alone and out of earshot of anyone so you don't have the cops arrive at your door. There's nothing like a primal scream to release pent up emotion.

6. Gardening. There is something soothing to thousands of people who till the earth, develop a beautiful rose or flower garden, or even planting flowers or herbs in pots on a balcony. The weeding, watering, and scent all mix together to help calm the spirit.

Stress relievers don't have to be complicated or expensive. Develop the habit of finding a few simple techniques of your own to keep stress under control.