CHI - Spring 2009 - (Page 72) TIME FOR YOU No-Cost Stress Busters Six ways to reduce tension for free. LOOkIng FOR wayS to slash stress without dipping into your stash of cash? There are plenty of ways to achieve serenity without a hefty investment. In fact, you may even save money in the long run! Here are six, solid stress-reducers, all achievable for less than the price of a latte. 1. Shop Your Closet. If retail therapy is one of your favorite destressors, here’s a way to get the same benefits without pulling out the AmEx. Skip the mall and head to your closet. Many of us have stuff we haven’t even worn in there, plus items we haven’t thought about in years. Dive in as if you’re seeing your wardrobe for the first time. Take old favorites to the tailor if they need altering and think about pairing items in new ways. Accessories can revitalize an outfit, too—pull out scarves, jewelry, shoes and handbags and mix them up. You’ll start seeing everything in a brand new light! 2. Ride Your Bike to Work. First of all, you’ll save on gas, plus wear and tear on your car. Second, and perhaps even more important, the exercise that you get on your commute will help keep you energized, happy and calm as it promotes overall good health. If your route to work doesn’t accommodate cycling or walking, try to take a brisk walk during your lunch hour to help manage workday tension. 3. Plant a Vegetable Garden. Okay, you’ll have to spring for cost of the seeds, but ultimately you’ll save a fortune on fresh veggies. What’s more, getting your hands dirty and watching your garden grow is a time-proven way to relieve stress. 4. Practice Positive Thinking. It’s not just New Age myth. Willing yourself to approach the world with a “glass half full” attitude, and repeating positive affirmations like, “I can handle the tasks I have ahead of me,” actually suppresses the cortisol that the adrenal gland releases in times of stress. That, in turn, leads to a calmer, more peaceful you. 5. Take a Tech Retreat. Sure you like nothing more than surfing your favorite online news site or tuning into to a prime-time crime drama. But sometimes all of that technology can lead to overload—too much information, too much stimulation. Take some time each day, or even a full day each week, and hit the “off” button on your computer and TV. Go outside, read a book, meet a friend in the park. Your e-mail, gadgets and the headlines will all be there when you return and you’ll be refreshed and ready to log-on again. 6. Reach Out. Did Mother Teresa ever look anxious? Studies show that doing something for somebody else actually relieves your own tension substantially. For one thing, you’re occupied with something worthwhile. For another, observing someone in worse shape than you can lead to feelings of gratitude for your own life. So deliver meals to shut-ins, tutor an under-served kid, roll up your sleeves and clean up the local creek. Before long, you’ll forget your troubles and begin to count your own blessings. n 72 Volume V, Issue 18
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