10 Effective Stress Busters Everyone Should Know ...

Boredom can lead to stress, so get out of your normal environment and routine. Relieve stress by doing something you wouldn’t normally do. Never go to museums? Find one that interests you and spend a day wandering around. Go to a talk, have lunch, follow a guided tour. If not a museum try a local art gallery or botanical garden.

Pets are a well-known stress-buster. What if your lease forbids animals? Volunteer at a shelter, walk the dogs, play with the cats. Looking at different animals and their different personalities is sure to make you forget your problems for a little while. If that fails, is there a zoo nearby or a close friend or family member with a pet?

It’s so important to find time for yourself! Have a hobby that’s just for YOU, and doesn’t benefit anyone else. No matter how busy your life is, spend 10 or 15 minutes doing something for yourself, each and every day.

If you are like me, you can probably never find anything. How often have you been running late and realized you don’t know where your keys/wallet/essential paperwork are? Spend an afternoon organizing your closet, bedroom and living space to put an end to those panicky last-minute runarounds!

Spend a few hours in the park on a sunny day. Take a good book or journal. Read or write down thoughts, lie on your back and gaze at the sky. Stroll around looking at the trees and flowers, and listening to the birdsong – okay, that might sound a bit hippyish, but have you ever seen a stressed hippy?

This may sound negative but there are times when no is the best word to use. You should not feel bad nor let people make you feel bad because you can’t do something they ask of you. If you are going to run around like a headless chicken because you keep saying yes, it’ll cause you stress. If you can’t or if you plain just don’t want to, then smile and say NO. This is something every woman should know how to do.

Watch something funny. It’s true that laughter really is the best medicine. Watch your favorite cartoons, a stand-up comedy routine, or an episode or two from your favorite sitcom.

Worried about something in particular? Do something about it. Take action, since fretting about it won’t get you anywhere! Are you in debt? Talk to a debt counselor, look at increasing your income and reducing your outgoings, take in a lodger or hold a yard sale to get rid of unwanted belongings. In an unhappy relationship? If you can’t improve it, consider whether you would be better off single. Heavy workload? Delegate, ask for more time to complete projects or more staff.

This works, honestly. Going for a bike ride makes a huge difference to how you feel when going through a difficult time in your life. It certainly gets those endorphins going! You will feel much better physically and mentally, and it'll motivate you and take all those negative feelings away.

Do you need to down 5 coffees before you can function? All that caffeine is going to kick-start your system, sure … and keep kicking. Cut down. You know what’s the best way to enjoy coffee? In a relaxing café, laughing and chatting with a friend.