Unwind with one of these spirit-lifting ideas from Stephanie McClellan, M.D., and Beth Hamilton, M.D., authors of The Ultimate Stress-Relief Plan for Women: Heal the Destructive Effects of Stress on Your Body.
- Take a bath with scented oils
- Get lost in a good book
- Try a new recipe
- Take a nap
- Watch a chick flick
- Take your dog for a long walk
- Find water — a beach, lake, river, pond, or stream
- Pick fruit
- Talk to a stranger
- Plant a windowsill herb garden
- Dance
- Clean and organize
- Look at puppies and kittens in a pet store
- Go to a country fair or street fair
- Spend time in a bookstore or library
- Go window-shopping
- Go to a wine-tasting
- Plan a minivacation
- Go to bed early
- Explore classes you could take
- Do a crossword puzzle
- Volunteer
- Buy fresh flowers
- Go bird watching
- Flip through a magazine
- Organize your photos
- Catch up with an old friend
- Go antiquing
- Have a cup of tea
- Listen to great music
- Call a friend
- Visit a botanical garden
- Exercise
- Give yourself a facial
- Go to the zoo
- Help someone
- Look at art in a book, gallery, or museum
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Hi! I'm Kristy, the editor of TOLL. I work with Simon & Schuster's expert authors to share our best parenting, money and career, self-help, and relationship tips. I love travel, trying new recipes, reading, saving money, and exploring this thing called life. Thanks for reading! Feel free to contact me at kristy dot ojala at simonandschuster dot com.
It’s true, these are a bit cliche, but honestly, doing these things does help you de-stress. And i like not being given specific instruction or “always do this,” “never do this.” This leaves us to our own devices. And it’s simple, things you might not think about, but do help. I think there should be a disclaimer though, something like; “When doing these activities, do not over-plan, over-think, or over-process the activity or you will simply negate the positive stress-free effects it is supposed to have.” Because from personal experience, the tip, “Plan a mini-vacation,” is anything but stress-free!