11 Easy Ways To Relax When Stressed

11 Quick Ways To Relax When Stressed

Relaxation doesn’t have to be complicated. Today we will explore 11 quick ways to relax when stressed helping you to clear your mind, unwind, and restore balance, no matter how busy or overwhelming life gets. You got this my friends 🖤.

>>> Bonus: Free sloth-inspired yoga flow helping you to embrace slow <<<

---

---

Stress is a constant part of modern life.

Whether it is caused by work-related issues, financial concerns, personal responsibilities, or the overwhelming pace of everyday demands, stress happens to all of us.

Over time, stress can affect our mental clarity, emotional balance, and even our physical health, leading to exhaustion and possibly burnout.

Hence stress management is key and it is crucial to have a few practical and simple ways to relax at your fingertips helping you to quickly unwind, regain focus and come back to enjoying life rather than being stressed about it.

In this blog post, we explore 11 quick and effective ways to relax when stressed. All of these 11 ways to relax when stressed you can easily incorporate into your daily routine to bring calm and balance back into your day.

What are the benefits of relaxing

Relaxing offers several benefits for both, your physical and mental well-being. See a summary of the top benefits of relaxing below for your reference:

• Reduced stress levels – regular relaxation helps lower cortisol levels, the hormone associated with stress, leading to a calmer and more balanced state of mind
• Improved mental clarity and focus – relaxation can enhance focus and problem-solving abilities, making it easier to handle tasks and make decisions in daily life
• Boosted emotional well-being – taking time to relax can improve your mood, reduce feelings of anxiety and depression, and promote a more positive outlook on life
• Boosted physical health and well-being – certain relaxation techniques can help lower blood pressure, improve heart health, and strengthen the immune system, contributing to your overall physical well-being
• Promotes better sleep – relaxation practices can help improve your sleep quality by calming the mind and preparing the body for rest
• Boost energy levels – relaxation can boost your energy levels and help you to be more productive during the day

However, it is important to note that we are all different and these benefits are likely to feel different for everyone.

Hence it is important to find the relaxation techniques that work best for you.

Once you find the relaxation techniques that work best for you, you can incorporate these into your daily routines or keep them in your de-stress toolkit helping you to create a strong foundation for yourself and establish a sense of balance in your life.

11 Quick ways to relax when you feel stressed out

Below are 11 stress relief techniques that help you to reduce stress instantly. These are great stress relievers for adults as well as stress-relieving exercises for students.

Some of these de-stress techniques might resonate more with you than others, hence I recommend you pick the ones that you feel drawn to, give them a try and take it from there.

1. Do yoga

Of course, as a yoga teacher, I have to start with yoga, you got me 🖤, but yoga is a super powerful way to help you relax the body and mind from stress.

Firstly, the yoga postures are designed to help you open up your body and release muscle tension out of your body which will feel so good after a long and stressful day.

Secondly, yoga encourages deep breathing and conscious breathing soothes the nervous system which can help to reduce stress and anxiety.

Thirdly, practising yoga is a self-care practice, and by consciously looking after yourself, you establish a healthy relationship with yourself, take responsibility for your physical and mental well-being and cultivate self-love from within.

Recommended resources: 10 Best Yoga Tips For Beginners – Kickstart Your Yoga Journey Today.

2. Do a digital detox

Mobile phones seem to have become an extension of our physical bodies. And whilst these digital devices bring a lot of benefits into our lives, they can also add a lot of pressure and increase our daily stress levels.

Just think about that constant stream of information that your brain has to process every time you start scrolling…this adds additional pressure and stress in so many ways to your day-to-day life.

A digital detox is a great way to help you reduce your stress levels.

Yes, it might push you outside of your comfort zone as we love to be available 24/7, but give it a try.

Switch off your mobile phone, tablet, etc. and treat yourself to some quality time in the real world.

Start small, maybe 2 hours in the evening before you go to bed, 2 hours in the morning before you head to work, maybe even half a day at the weekend; see how you feel and know that you can slowly extend the time of your digital detox whenever needed.

Use this time mindfully, move your body, go for a walk, spend time doing a hobby, do a journal exercise, etc.

Give yourself the gift of being present and enjoy life for what it is.

3. Practice self-care

Whenever life gets stressful, the first thing we tend to cut back on is ourselves. We skip breakfast and pick something up on the way, we skip the post-work gym session, we post-pone catching up with a friend, etc.

We think we save time, but in reality, we cut back on ourselves.

Keep in mind that you are the most important asset that you have and if you don’t look after yourself, no one else will. Sounds harsh, I know, but your well-being is your responsibility.

Understand that you are important, listen to your needs and desires, start to set healthy boundaries and support yourself in the best possible way.

Self-care is everything you do to improve your physical, mental and emotional well-being.

The benefits of a regular self-care practice are reduced stress levels, improved physical and mental health, better work-life balance, enhanced self-esteem, etc.

In summary: regular self-care activities or having a regular self-care routine in place allows you to thrive in all areas of your life.

Recommended resources: 12 Best Autumn Self-Care Ideas To Cuddle Up And Relax This Fall.

4. Learn to say ‘No’

Saying ‘no’ is never easy, especially to people who matter to us.

But when life gets stressful, at some point you have to say ‘no’ if you wanna keep your sanity.

Understand and accept that saying ‘no’ is totally ok. It shows that you are aware of your boundaries and that you healthily protect your energy.

Saying ‘no’ also shows self-respect.

Recommended resources: 5 Steps How To Set Healthy Boundaries in Relationships – Empower Your Voice.

5. Deep breathing

Deep breathing exercises are a simple yet powerful tool to help you reduce stress.

By focusing on your breath, you activate the parasympathetic nervous system, which helps calm your mind and lower stress levels.

Deep breathing slows down your heart rate, lowers blood pressure, and can help you feel more centred and relaxed.

One breathing technique that I use to help me relax is box breathing. See the topline instructions below:

1. Inhale – breathe in slowly through your nose for a count of 4
2. Hold – hold your breath for a count of 4
3. Exhale – exhale gently through your mouth for a count of 4
4. Pause – pause and hold your breath for a count of 4 before taking another breath

Repeat this cycle several times, personally I do this for up to 3 minutes helping me to de-stress and relax.

This technique helps to calm your nervous system and reduce feelings of stress and anxiety.

6. Mindfulness Meditation

Mindfulness meditation is a powerful method for alleviating stress by fostering a state of present-moment awareness.

By focusing on the here and now, mindfulness helps to quiet the mind, reduce anxiety, and improve your overall emotional well-being.

Mindfulness meditation – topline instructions:

1. Find a quiet space – choose a calm place where you won’t be disturbed
2. Sit comfortably – sit in a relaxed position e.g. easy crossed-legged with your back straight and hands resting on your thighs
3. Close your eyes – close your eyes to draw your senses inwards
4. Focus on your breath – connect with your breath; notice the rhythm of your inhales and exhales
5. Acknowledge your thoughts – if your mind wanders, gently bring your focus back to your breath without judgment

Start with 3-5 minutes and gradually increase the time as you become more comfortable.

Tip: Guided meditations are a great way to start. I recommend trying the Love and Kindness Meditation and this Body Scan Mediation to begin with.

7. Reconnect with nature

Research shows that spending time in nature can help reduce stress and anxiety.

Take a long walk in the park or a nearby forest, breathe in the fresh air, and enjoy nature’s beauty.

Your body will welcome the movement, the fresh oxygen and the natural sunlight after sitting at a desk and in conference rooms all day long.

Living in cities, we tend to forget that we are nature. Reconnect with your roots, allow nature to ground you and recharge your batteries.

8. Journal exercise

Journaling is regularly writing down your thoughts, feelings, experiences, and reflections in a journal or notebook.

There are different kinds of journaling such as personal journaling, bullet journaling, gratitude journaling, travel journaling, dream journaling, journaling for self-love, etc.

Journaling offers a variety of options, however, they can all impact your overall well-being in a very positive way and can help bring more happiness to your life and help you feel more content and grounded in life.

The benefits of journaling on your mental well-being are increased self-awareness, helping to manage stress and ease anxiety, allowing for more clarity and focus, greater feelings of gratitude, etc.

Recommended resources: How to Start Journaling In 5 Simple Steps – The Best Guide For Newbies.

9. Make a to-do list

I 🖤 to-do lists. It’s a great way to take control of your day when things get a wee bit too stressful and overwhelming.

To-do lists are super simple, yet so powerful. Get yourself a piece of paper and start to list your to-do’s in priority order.

Once you are done, think about delegating some to-dos to other people to better manage your time.

In the next step define what is urgent and what can wait until tomorrow or later this week. This can help you to relieve the pressure instantly.

10. Get creative creative

Being creative requires concentration which can shift your focus away from work stress and negative thoughts.

By being creative, you can achieve a state of ‘flow’ where your mind is fully engaged filling you up with joy and happiness from within.

Try different creative outlets such as painting, writing, playing an instrument, dancing, knitting, cooking, etc. to find what resonates most and brings you the most relaxation and joy.

11. Practice gratitude

Gratitude is a positive emotion, filled with appreciation and thankfulness for something you have received. Gratitude can be expressed e.g. towards people, nature, your health or your body, opportunities/events that changed your life for the better, individual achievements, etc.

The top 5 benefits of a regular gratitude practice are improved mental health, enhanced physical health, improved relationships, higher self-esteem and living more in the present moment.

Get a piece of paper and write down three things you are grateful for. Be precise and to the point when writing down the things you are grateful for.

What/who are you grateful for? Why are you grateful? How did that person/situation make you feel? Etc.

Be aware of the words that you are using. Connect with grateful words such as ‘gifts’, ‘blessing’, ‘feeling of abundance’ etc.

Recommended resources: The Best Gratitude Journal Examples, Ideas And Writing Prompts.

---

Bonus: Free Sloth-inspired yoga flow helping you to embrace slow

Let’s celebrate slowing down – join me for this sloth-inspired yoga flow in magical Costa Rica. There is so much power in being slow 🖤.

---

All right my friends, as we are coming to an end, keep in mind that we are all different and what works for me might not necessarily work for you.

Take some time to experiment with these relaxation techniques to find what works best for you and enjoy a more balanced, calm, and peaceful state of mind.

I hope you enjoyed these 11 ways to relax when stressed. Which relaxation hacks and relaxation techniques are your favourite? Which ones did make it into your de-stress toolkit?

I would love to hear from you, please keep me posted in the comments below and of course, if there are any questions about the 11 ways to relax when stressed, ask away, and I will make sure to get back to you.

Further resources I think you will enjoy. Make sure to check them out:

• Sweet Escapes: 13 Perfect Ways To Pamper Yourself At Home
• 11 Toxic Habits to Quit Today – Reclaim Your Happiness
• Morning Routine Checklist – 7 Steps To A Happy And Productive Day

Stay wild,

Nicolle

Featured image Photo by Radek Grzybowski on Unsplash