Oddly Satisfying Stress Relief: Simple Hacks for a Calm Mind

“Calmness is the cradle of power.” 

– Josiah Gilbert Holland  

Modern life is fast-paced and full of responsibilities and stimuli from the environment that can easily stress anyone out. 

It’s not a surprise that a staggering 74% of people have reported that in the past year, they have felt a level of stress that they are unable to handle (Source: Mental Health Foundation, 2024).

However, it is worth noting that relief does not always need to come from major efforts or changes, rather sometimes quick, simple, and even funny techniques to better manage stress deserve our attention. 

Hence, with that in mind, in this article, I have discussed some of the simple and useful strategies and tactics that could help you feel a bit more relaxed and achieve the peace of mind that you have been looking for. 

Mindful coloring

Some people assume that coloring is an activity reserved for children alone but the truth of the matter is that it is actually the adults who have a greater need for such activities.

Recently, adult coloring books have entered the mainstream with the promise of being stress-relieving and soothing.

With constant attention to choosing colors, and filling up fine lines and curves of patterns, you can help yourself quiet your mind and reduce stress even just for a stretch. 

Bear in mind that you turn off the notifications at that period of time to avoid all distractions.

The repetitive nature of coloring actually helps induce you into a meditative state, allowing you to temporarily escape your worries, find inner peace, and just focus on the now.

Digital decluttering

In today’s digital age, where everyone is always seen with their smartphones, these tiny devices can actually often be a source of stress. 

The constant intake of content on social media can cause our minds to shuffle and get heightened alerts of stress. 

Moreover, unorganized files on our smartphones also tend to have an effect on our minds. 

With that, make it a point to regularly do digital decluttering where you organize your files, delete unnecessary emails, and unsubscribe from irrelevant and unwanted newsletters. 

A clean digital environment somehow reflects a clean and more organized life, and you’ll be surprised by how much this changes your perspective.

Quick Tip: Get outside and take a brisk walk to both energize and calm down, all within a couple of minutes.

Playing online games

Pacing yourself when working or studying is also pivotal to relieve the mind from somewhat stressful thoughts that might be too overwhelming at times. 

For this, once in a while, you can try playing online games as a way to cool yourself down. 

You can prefer puzzles, strategy games, or online slots ph, all these can ultimately provide you with a much-needed distraction away from your responsibilities and help you destress for a while.

Gardening

For the majority, spending time outdoors has too many benefits, even if you just consider yourself lazy, there is no harm in trying it out. 

For instance, gardening is one of the most effective ways to spend time outside of stressful things. 

Don’t have a full garden? No worries. 

Just a few plant pots on the balcony are just enough to prove gardening’s effectiveness. 

If done on a regular basis, when looking for relief and calmness, it is almost guaranteed to work.

Listening to music

Music has so much power – it can evoke strong emotions and transport us to different places, times, and memories. 

With that, listening to your favorite music can help alleviate stress. 

Try listening to calming classical music, jazz, pop, or rainy white noise to help you silence the noise from the outside world, even just for a bit.

Taking a warm bath

There is nothing a warm bath cannot do, and there are indeed individuals who enjoy warm water baths during overly stressful times of life. 

Further, try using bath salts or essential oils to improve the experience even more. 

Add bath salts, luxurious bath bombs, or essential oils to make your bath time even more relaxing. 

Consider playing a few calming tunes too and reading a good book as you soak in the warm water and the relaxing scent from your chosen bath time essentials.

In this, observe the chart present below and how it depicts the proportion of American workers who perceive stress working from their place and the enormous role this factor plays in the lives of many employees.

Wrapping Up

Remember, the key to effective stress relief is finding activities that you enjoy and that help you relax and take your mind off of things that stress you out. 

By incorporating these habits and oddly satisfying activities into your daily routine, best believe you can combat stress any day and eventually improve your mental health, leading to a healthier, happier you.

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