What’s it take to shake the stress of your everyday life? Many people opt for a nap or a cocktail. Some days weigh heavier than others, and there’s just no easy way to forget what’s on your mind.
Still, trying something creative will distract and clam your edginess. Shifting your focus to creative play and exercise has multiple benefits. It relaxes, yes, but it also expands your knowledge and cognitive skills. Creativity also produces work others can enjoy. And, it engages and empowers your self-confidence.
So, you don’t have to golf or fish to escape the stress of everyday life!
5 creative ways to escape:
1. It’s not just for kids, anymore!
Stores are bursting with coloring books for adults. The books come with various themes. You’ll find everything from intricate flowers to land and seascapes to animals in the wild.
Coloring doesn’t require much investment. You need the coloring book and a set of fine-tipped color-filled pens. You’ll also find some colors will relax the brain. The psychology of colors suggests soft blues, yellows, and greens will do the trick.
2. Make exercise fun, again!
Light to moderate exercise will restore cells, rejuvenate your immunity, and strengthen brain and body systems. The increased oxygen intake improves respiration and enriches blood.
However, exercise can get boring. So, you want to team up with friends to change up the routine regularly. Add some challenge or unexpected goal, and you’ll have more fun. For instance, instead of just hiking or jogging, you might connect the circuit with a scavenger hunt for items planted around the course.
3. Dig out your LEGOs, seriously!
There’s always some time to play with blocks. Children have turned to wooden blocks, alphabet blocks, and stacking blocks for centuries. But since LEGOs came along in the middle of the 20th-century, they have become the building block of choice.
Over the last decade, LEGO has introduced sets with more pieces, more intricate designs, and bigger creative challenges. The best LEGO sets for adults pay homage to Star Wars, Harry Potter, and various world attractions. But you should find the James Bond Aston Martin, the Ship in a Bottle, and the Stranger Things the Upside Down sets challenging, fun, and stress relieving.
4. Dance like no one is watching!
All you need is a little music and 10 minutes a day. Then, you just let go. You can dance to an exercise video or favorite playlist. You don’t need a plan or regimen, but relaxation seems to follow silliness.
This goes for singing, too. Sing in the shower or whistle a happy tune; you can’t do either if you are all tensed up. Rachel Halliwell of The Telegraph says, “The easiest way to improve your mood — and your life — is to take time each day to focus on the simple things that bring you joy.”
5. Show your love, please!
It’s very relaxing to spend time doing something you love or with someone you love. It may take some planning, but you can schedule some meaningful time with your partner, friends, or children.
It could be an attentive phone call, a game of cards with some friends, or pushing the kids on their swing set. Jump on a trampoline for 15 minutes, and it will change the rest of your day.
You owe it to yourself!
The everyday stresses in life will not go away. But with a little creativity, you can escape the damage. According to Huffpost, “just as a slight from your boss or bad news from a family member can get your stress hormones pumping and your blood pressure rising quickly, you have the power to reset almost instantly.”
