Soothe Away Stress Part 6

If you missed the other parts, check them out here

Here are five more tips from Good Housekeeping's Kate Hanley on how to reduce and soothe away your stress.


Give Something Up

In Being Perfect, Anna Quindlen wisely advises us to “give up the nonsensical and punishing quest for perfection that dogs too many of us through too much of our lives.” What's something on this week’s list that you can just...not do? Maybe it's one load of laundry, or the belief that you should finish the book you're not really enjoying. When you let something go, you create space for something wonderful and unexpected to take its place.

Office Mini Massage

Take the sting out of a stressful afternoon with this 30-second massage. Rest your elbows on your desk and place your thumbs under your eyebrows on either side of the bridge of your nose. Let the weight of your head rest on your thumbs for 10 seconds. Then pinch your eyebrows with your thumbs and index fingers. Hold for 1 second, then move your fingers a half-inch out. Repeat until you’ve covered the whole brow.

Treat Your Feet

Here's something nice for your feet that revitalizes your entire body: Fill one large bowl with hot water, and one with cold. Submerge your feet in the hot water for as long as you can, then switch to the cold. Repeat several times. The process draws circulation down to your feet and gets blood pumping throughout your body. It's faster than a nap and better for you (and cheaper) than a fancy coffee drink

Follow Your Intuition

Everyone has a gut instinct, but when our lives are fully scheduled, it doesn’t get the space it needs to rise to the top. Taking a walk with no particular destination in mind can help you get in touch with this inner wisdom. At every corner, ask yourself which way you should go, and follow whatever hunch you get. You might just be delighted with where you end up and what you experience along the way.

The Ultimate Multitask

Turn tonight's household chores into meditation in motion. While cleaning up after dinner, feel the sensations in your body as you work, notice how your breath flows in and out, savor the way things feel. When your mind starts to wander, gently bring it back to your task. This practice keeps you rooted in the present moment, instead of reliving past events or anticipating the future. The result? A calmer, more attentive you.