If you're in need of a sudden activity which can relieve stress quickly – what do you think of? A cup of tea or coffee, a cigarette, an alcoholic drink, a bar of chocolate, a bag of crisps, biting your nails...? Any of these sound familiar? Everyone has their own particular ways of reliving sress. Unfortunately many of them don’t really work, or they give such temporary relief, that it really wasn’t something worth doing. The other problem is that it’s very easy to choose something that isn’t actually very good for us. So here are 5 quick stress relief activities, all of which are healthy and simple to do.

1. Listen to a favourite piece of music.

Put on a favourite piece of music. Don’t just have it on in the background, actually stop and listen to the music properly. But make sure that it is something that has a positive effect (music that gives you renewed energy or makes you feel happy or you find amusing. It’s very difficult to continue feeling stressed if you’re smiling.

2. Play a musical instrument for 10 minutes

People who play their instruments regularly will often reach for their chosen instrument when they’re feeling stressed. But if you’re someone who tends only to play an instrument when you have time then you often forget it’s something that can give you immense pleasure. Just 10 or 15 minutes can stop you thinking about your troubles and make you concentrate just on the music.

3. Take a brisk walk

Well it’s hardly rocket science is it. We all know about the benefits of exercise – but all too often it's something we push to one side using time as an excuse. But it doesn't take long to take a brisk walk and feel the benefits. It's a strategy you can use when we’re feeling particularly stressed, even at work. If you’re struggling with feelings of stress take a ten minute break from what you're doing and take a short brisk walk. It will clear your mind and allow you to deal with any issues more easily.

4. Do some reading

This is another of those activities people will often say that they have no time to do and yet reading is a really effective stress relief activity. Focussing on something that is simply pleasurable for a short amount of time will lessen your stress. Keep a good book with you at all times.

5. Cook up an old favourite

Okay, not everyone finds cooking a soothing activity and you certainly might not see it as a quick stress relief activity. However, if you are someone who enjoys cooking but has forgotten about cooking for pleasure, why not cook a long forgotten dish that you or your loved ones really enjoy. You can get some very quick stress relief from chopping and stirring as well as your senses being hit by beautiful aromatic smells.

Summary

These are just five ideas for quick stress activities. They are not rocket science, nor innovative but if you are in need of some sudden stress relief and want to try some healthy options to relieve your stress, then it’s a good idea to fall back on simple things you may have done in the past that will help to combat stressful feelings. You can find further activities on my confidence coaching blog.