This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Xavier chapter.
Between school, work, friends, family, and other commitments, stress can build quickly and stay long. Change up your routine and try one of these 100 ways to reduce stress.
- Set priorities in your life
- Visualize yourself winning
- Stop saying negative things to yourself
- Smile
- Tickle a baby
- Practice an awesome smile
- Take a bubble bath
- Be prepared for rain
- Walk in the rain
- Unclutter your life
- You don’t have to know all the answers
- Write a letter to a friend
- Watch a new movie
- Find a new series on Netflix
- Ask for help
- Freely praise other people
- Use your time wisely
- Wash your bedding
- Get a haircut
- Break large tasks into smaller portions
- Buy yourself flowers
- Sleep in
- Feed the birds
- Take a long hot shower
- Get up 15 minutes earlier
- Go to a sporting event and cheer
- Say “no” more often
- Put a new air freshener in your car
- Clean your room
- Become a better listener
- Practice slower breathing
- Try new things
- Stop thinking tomorrow will be a better today
- Doodle
- Click unsubscribe on some of your emails
- Go on a picnic
- Quit trying to fix other people
- Pet a dog or cat
- Cook a nice meal for yourself
- Take a nap
- Memorize a new joke
- Have goals for yourself
- Say hello to strangers
- Work at being cheerful and optimistic
- Do everything in moderation
- Recognize the importance of unconditional love
- Look at problems at challenges
- Get to work early
- Stretch your limits a little each day
- Dance
- Put safety first
- Read a poem
- Don’t rely on memory – write it down
- Hug your friends
- Have someone you can always vent to
- Be responsible for your own feelings
- Always make copies of important papers
- Be aware of the decisions you make
- Take a different route to work
- Learn to meet your own needs
- Set appointments ahead of time
- Look at challenges differently
- Remember that stress is an attitude
- Maintain your weight
- Keep a journal
- Teach a kid to fly a kite
- Ask for advice if you don’t like your job
- Learn the words to a new song
- Look up at the stars
- Believe in yourself
- Make a paper airplane
- Read a story in bed
- Take time to smell the flowers
- Repair anything that doesn’t work properly
- Talk less and listen more
- Always have a plan B
- Leave work early
- Avoid too tight fitting clothes
- Look for a silver lining
- Anticipate your needs
- Avoid negative people
- Get enough sleep
- Know your limitations and let others know them, too
- Listen to some good music
- Schedule play time into every day
- Have a support network of people, places and things
- Find support from others
- Stop a bad habit
- Exercise every day
- Strive for excellent instead of perfection
- Simplify meal times
- Do it today
- Avoid relying on medication, if possible
- Plant a tree
- Prepare for morning the night before
- Practice grace under pressure
- Stand up and stretch
- Say something nice to someone
- Stop procrastinating
- Remember you always have options