Over the last few weeks I have really been struggling to relax and unwind at the end of the day. My stress levels have been high and my sleep has been restless. Following the massive popularity of my eBook Enlightening Stress Relief I realized that so many of us are struggling to relax. For this reason I have compiled the ultimate list of ways to relax, unwind and loosen up before, during and after work. Enjoy!
100 Ways to Relax
Drink some green tea
Take a nap
Go outside
Get fresh air
Get sunlight
Meditate on the breath
Breathe deeply
Watch some TV
Listen to classical music
Go to the gym
Eat more fruit
Go for a walk in the city
Get a fruit milkshake
Talk to a friend on the phone
Strengthen your Facebook addiction
Walk around the office
Do some deep muscle stretches
Look at inspiring photos
Read your favorite blogs
Call your mother
Read national geographic or magazines about far away places
Go somewhere high with a vast view
Reduce the amount of coffee you drink
Drink more water
Get a shot of wheat grass juice
Go for a walk around the markets or somewhere with lots of natural produce
Go somewhere where sunlight warms your face
Exercise before work to get the blood flowing
Get some healthy comfort food (hearty soups or something that makes you feel great)
Go for a swim or a spa
Get a massage at your local massage school (its cheaper)
Call some old friends and meet for lunch
Listen to relaxation mp3’s
Delete all the emails in your inbox
Clean your desk
Tidy your room and make your bed so it’s clean when you go to sleep
Open up windows and let fresh air in
Make a list of all the things you need to do today
Write a letter to your parents or someone in your family you haven’t seen in a while
Take a day off work
Go shopping for someone in your family
Visit an awe-inspiring monastery, church, temple or piece of architecture
Head down to the beach and walk in the shallow water
Go to a lake and skim rocks on the surface
Read a book you enjoyed as a child
Cook a lavish and complicated dinner
Make a lemon, ginger honey tea
Go to your local botanic gardens where there are lots of colorful flowers
Tense all your muscles for ten seconds and then suddenly let go
Get a stress ball or hand grippers
Get off the computer and relax your eyes
Go for a run around the city at lunch time
Get a big Chinese noodle soup for lunch (warm water is good for stress)
Go and see a comedy show
Go to bed early
Have a sleep in
Take some allotted time to do nothing at all
Plant some trees to make your life more carbon neutral
Go and see a sporting match
Hire some comedy movies and relax on the couch with a blanket
Take deep breaths for five minutes
Join an evening yoga class
Go to the city library and just sit down
Have a big long conversation with your partner about nothing in particular
Turn off the television/computer and do something low tech
Eat a big bowl of fruit with natural honey on top
Pack a picnic, get in the car and drive to a new outdoors spot
Play some after work team sport like indoor soccer or cricket
Go to a meditation class (they are usually very relaxing)
Drink a cup of plain hot water (old Chinese method of healing)
Do a painting or drawing of your home
Call up 10 mates and organize some sport in the park and a BBQ
Go out to a favorite restaurant for dinner
Hire an Xbox 360 and have a lazy weekend
Study a topic you have a deep interest in but which doesn’t relate to work
Buy a beanbag and fall asleep watching TV
Take a hot shower and leave the fan off so the room steams up
Buy a cheap self-massaging wand and massage your tense spots
Get the daily chores out of the way now instead of worrying about them
Get a 20 minute power nap like Leonardo da Vinci
Light some healing and relaxation incense
Ride your bike to work instead of driving in the hustle
Get the kids off to a friend’s house for a sleep-over
Use some bath salts and take a long bath in a candle lit bathroom
Talk about your problems with someone
Plan a holiday you would love to take in the future
Cut out the sugar in your diet (it causes stress)
Take a relaxation supplement like Brahmi
Watch your thoughts without engaging them
Get to work early and finish the day’s work as fast as possible and then forget it
Unsubscribe from blogs that you really don’t need in your Feed Reader
Stop wasting so much time on Facebook, Myspace and Twitter
Spend some more time with your dog or animal (they’ll love you for it)
Throw out stuff around your house your really don’t need or use
Create a list of relaxation tips to help other people
Start a detox diet
Turn on some music and dance around your house
Have a warm glass of milk
Pick up a hobby you have neglected
Just relax!
