Today, I’m going to reveal some of my favorite ways to reduce stress while keeping it cheap!
Relaxing at the Park
Cheap Ways To Escape From Stress
- At lunch, I go to a small quiet library. The library that I go to is my intraday escape! I’m luck because the library is usually empty at lunch. Before I started blogging, I would go there to check out the newest DVD movies and read the newspapers and magazines. Occasionally, I would even take a quick 10 to 15 minute nap. Or if the weather was nice, and I was tired, I would park beneath a tree and take a 30 minute nap.
- Visit the numerous parks in the area. There are plenty of walking park to visit in the area. At this one park close to work, they have a small pond with a fountain in the middle. I would just sit on a bench in the shade, and close my eyes and just listen to the fountain noise. At the same park, if I was very tired, again I would take a 30 minute nap in the parking lot.
- Visit the bird park. This park is 15 minutes away, so I had to pack my lunch the day before, then drive to the park and while I was there, eat quickly. The bird part is actually inside a building that is built into a hill. The birds are on the outside where there are feeders and a microphone system so we could listen to the bird sounds.
- Walk around my neighborhood block late at night. I use to do my best thinking at these times, not to mention a little bit of exercise. I’m lucky in that the streets at night are empty and quiet.
- Lounging/sitting on my deck at night when the stars are out in full force while listening to music on my mp3 player. At night and at dusk are my favorite time to relax on my deck. Before I built the deck, I would get a chair and sit out in the driveway at night looking at the stars (star gaze).
These are the 5 quick, cheap and easy ways I relieve stress. Sometimes I take my dog on my walks and let her come out onto the deck with me. She’s quiet for the most part and doesn’t bother me in my de-stressing periods.
How do you relieve stress?
-MR
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Nothing beats sleep! Or as you say a nap beneath a tree – even better!
I call them power naps. Once I take one of those I’ll wake up with a can-do attitude that makes whatever was stressing me out much more manageable.
The bird watching and walking parks really do clear my mind too!
The library is just a comfort place that I go to frequently… I’m always less stress after coming back though.
I go to the company gym at lunch. It a great way to blow off some steam and get reenergize for the afternoon. It’s free too. 🙂
Wow, that would be awesome! I wish the company that I work at had a company gym… They are large enough… Grrr.
Power naps always work wonders for me. I also enjoy listening to a meditation or nature sounds while sitting outside under a tree. Scents such as lavender also help me relax.
I’m sure meditation (and maybe yoga) would work wonders too!
Or is it the power of the mind believing that it helps. I often wonder that. I’m sure just the basic relaxation helps.
The neighborhood walk works best for me. Aside from stress relief, I think it’s healthy to unplug from the tv, news, or radio. It helps to generate your own thoughts on different subjects.
Yes, if you think about the TV especially, all we do is sit there in a zombie state for hours on end!
Golf would be a great stress relief too!
We have a gym at work and my wife and I walk the dog a lot. But, the best stress reliever for me is riding my mountain bike. It’s so peaceful and great excercise as well. Sometimes, I see rabbits, deer or coyotes out on the trail.
Riding the mountain bike would be a win-win-win! Reduced stress, see nature, and get some excercise to boot!
Can’t beat that!
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