8 Stress Busters To Clear And Recharge Your Mind

Whether you’re at work, in school or at home doing chores, the pressure of the stuff you need to get done can take its toll on you. Your body gets tired, your mind gets tired and you might even feel emotionally burned out. But what other choice do you have other than to trudge on because you need to get everything done?

What you actually need are just a couple of minutes off to give your body a chance to recover from the stressful activity you’re doing. There are tons of things you can do to de-stress, ranging from clearing your mind to eating something to moving around.

# Have a bite of dark chocolate

Now don’t go digging into the pantry for a Snickers bar. It’s said that in order to get the full de-stressing benefits of chocolate, you need a cocoa content of at least 70%. But that’s still good news since you’ll have the deliciously rich taste of chocolate in your mouth, and you’ll also get a natural caffeine boost!

# Stretch your back

When you’re slumped in front of the computer all day, you may not be able to pay much attention to the way you’re sitting. This only adds more weight to your lower back, and this strain combined with a ton of work will definitely wear your down.

To avoid this, have an hourly stretch to get your spine back in alignment. With your feet flat on the floor, just raise your arms up and reach as far up as you can to help soothe your back and limbs.

# Listen to your favorite song

There’s always going to be that one happy song that gets you in a good mood. Have it handy on your phone and give it a listen when you feel like your mind’s starting to get tired.

Sing along to it while you’re having your coffee break, and who knows, your happy song might lighten up the entire office! If you don’t have a happy song, I’d suggest “Hooked on a Feeling” by Blue Swede or “Don’t Worry Be Happy” by Bobby McFerrin.

# Sniff some lavender

You may already know that lavender is known for its relaxing effect. By getting a whiff of this pleasantly clean scent, you can tell your mind to relax and just calm down for a bit. Most of the time, stress is brought about by thinking too much of what will happen if you don’t get everything done. Get rid of those thoughts and focus on your tasks by smelling something with a lavender scent.

# Defocus your eyes

Again, the computer is often to blame for this. Staring into a screen can take its toll on your eyes. You may not notice it, but that slight creeping ache behind your eyes can lead to long-term oculomotor problems. Plus, it can lead to a splitting headache when ignored for too long. The solution? Look far off into a neutral area like a wall or a simple painting and then just stare. You’ll notice your eyes defocusing, and this in turn can also help clear your mind.

# Cuddle with your furry pal

Pets really are natural stress relievers. Just looking at how carefree and adorable they are can be enough to make you forget your problems! When you’re feeling bogged down by work, spend some time with your pet and tell him/her about it. Your buddy may not have any idea what you’re talking about, but simply spending time with a loving creature can already help reduce stress.

# Nibble on some nuts

Nuts are naturally filled with magnesium, which helps lower stress hormone levels. A handful of nuts or even a small packet of trail mix should be able to do the trick. For some people, munching on something crunchy helps keep their mind off their stressors. So instead of grabbing a cholesterol-filled bag of chips, go for some wholesome nuts!

# Nibble on some nuts

Nuts are naturally filled with magnesium, which helps lower stress hormone levels. A handful of nuts or even a small packet of trail mix should be able to do the trick. For some people, munching on something crunchy helps keep their mind off their stressors. So instead of grabbing a cholesterol-filled bag of chips, go for some wholesome nuts!

# Play a level on a casual game

Game designers are ingenious in that they are able to formulate casual games that are fairly easy to play, but challenging enough to keep you focused. You may already know about the Candy Crush craze, so you have some idea of how addictive games like this are. But of course, don’t get carried away with playing your game and limit yourself to just one level for destressing purposes.