Surefire Stress Busters

We are living in an age where work schedules are getting busier and every second of your lives pre-planned. You complete you assigned work with the five working days of the week, and move on to the planned recreation activity that you set up for the weekend and that is about it. When was the last time you remember doing something impromptu, something you decided at the spur of the moment? Just like that!

Most of us are so badly caught up in this never ending race, that we do not even have time to look out of our own lives and think about others. Wouldn’t it be great if you could for once, stop the chaos and take out time to do things that will help you unwind and actually make you feel good? Here are some sure shot stress busters that are guaranteed to banish the blues out of your life.

Friends

Call up an old friend; hang out with your buddies, like the old times. There is no stress buster like a great friend to chill out with. Talk your way for as long as either of you doesn’t get bored or you don’t get kicked out of the coffee chop cause they need to shut down. Even if you have to work the next day, you can rest assured that you’ll be fresh as ever for the day! People who are too busy to meet up, a simple phone call can do the trick. A long call filled with dollops of gossip, a dash of jokes and sprinkles of cherished memories beats any kind of stress for sure!

Family

Spending quality time with family can actually be a great stress buster as well. However quality time doesn’t mean the short chat over the dinner table, or a joke shared while watching the TV together. Catch up with you family members, share stories from work or just ask the about their day as you sit together (not watching TV or doing anything else but just sit together to chat!). Be innovative, a game of monopoly or pictionary can be thoroughly enjoyed with your family and will enliven the spirits at home.

Travel

The trip that you had been planning since God knows how many months, it is time you put your foot down and make it happen! Traveling can be a great stress buster, but make sure you plan according to the time you have at hand. If you just have a weekend to spare, choose a convenient location, which is not too far, so that both the destination and the journey can be equally enjoyable. Traveling to picturesque locations with lots of greenery and fresh air or a close by beach can really make the trip worthwhile.

Music

Time to hunt your CD shelves, collect all your favorites. Sit back in your relaxing chair with a hot cup of chocolate and let the music take you on cloud nine. If you are bored with your old collections, go out to the near by music store and pick up some new tunes to match your taste. Do not forget the instrumentals or music therapy CDs; these can actually be very soothing for your stressed mind.

Customized Entertainment

Yes, enough of those programmed daily soap operas and television shows. Rent your favorite movie, make some yum popcorn at home, sit back and enjoy. Go for the horror flicks, if you have many people to join you. The best pick would be a comedy be it romantic comedy, slapstick or the classic Charlie Chaplin movies- suit yourself. Cartoons can be fun as well. Remember you are never too old for anything, a hilarious Tom and Jerry Cartoons will have you in splits within no time and drive out all your stress!

Sports

No Sir, sorry your latest version of Counterstrike that you are hooked on to during the weekends cannot qualify as a sport ! Go out; indulge yourself in some real sports. Get out those badminton rackets that lie atop your shelf since ages and actually care to use them! Grab your pair of beloved skates that you once couldn’t live without and go skating! Enough of watching soccer and basketball on television go out and plan an actual game of basketball with your friends!

Chat/Gossip

Well don’t give me that look with your eyebrows raised…I know many people might call it names and frown upon it, but as long as it is a no-harm , innocent exchange of information , who cares! So what if you relax a bit as you and your friend talk about you-know-who and the horrendous dress that she wore at the party last week. As long as it gets you laughing and as long as it is not meant to hurt anyone, get on the latest gossip and chat your way to happiness!

Food

Chuck the diets, shut those weighing machines in your locker for the day ! Bring out the cheesy pizzas, the enchiladas, the munchies and the lip-smacking snacks. Savor your chips with the creamiest of dips and mouth-watering, spicy toppings. For the desserts, get the yummiest ice-cream flavor that you’ve been craving for since weeks, top it with chunks of roasted nuts and load it with chocolate ripples and eat your way to happiness!

Spa/Beautification

Yes ! Nothing drives the blues away like the three lettered word that begins with S. A health spa or a beauty spa is a great place to relax, get a rejuvenating massage followed by an absolute pampering ritual complete with royal manicure, pedicure, facial or even a body wrap. For people who do not have time to spend an entire day, just drop into your beauty saloon to get that new haircut you wanted or a quick manicure. At times when it gets absolutely essential for you to beat the building stress, a simple head massage or the long awaited saloon trip can work wonders for you. Bottom line, pamper your self and relax!

Shopping

I can see the ladies smile already…It is a known fact that shopping can be a great way to have fun and enjoy. At times it doesn’t even matter what you shop for. It can be anything that can be accommodated in your budget. That sweet dress that you had spotted last week, the pair of chic shades that you’ve been eyeing or the sleek ipod that you checked on the net – shopping can be a great stress buster and I know almost every woman will vouch for that!

(Caution: Some of the stress busters might be applicable only for the women)