We've all been there.
Reddit user, u/JimSaves, wanted to know what helps you unwind when they asked:
What do you do to reward yourself after a stressful or anxious day?
Let's get the simple stuff out of the way first, the things we know we all do to help us decompress.
Food and the internet.
100% Will Support Using Hot Sauce
"I eat a bag of chips when I have a tough day. But I also eat it if I had a great day, or if I'm feeling disappointed, or angry, or any strong feeling in general. A bag of chips is my reward for being alive I guess."
"Mexican here... a bag of chips, with hot sauce and green lime. And a bottle of Coke on the side."
Cho. Co. Late.
"Big piece of chocolate and Stardew Valley."
"Also I try to make sure my room is quiet so no one will bother me."
At Least You're Trying
"Doesn't work but I do it anyway thinking every time it will: wasting time on YouTube watching dumb videos, following my guilty pleasure TV series and just laying in bed while scrolling IG or putting things in online shopping carts without really buying anything. Eat when I'm not hungry because the food was 'there'."
"Works and I should do it more: going to the climbing gym after work for a workout, going for a walk, listening to a good podcast and learning something new, calling a friend I haven't spoken to in a long time for a long catch up chat, walk my dog, play with my dog, have a hot bath without my phone, just put music/podcast on and breath. Meditation. Journaling."
climbmeaFeeling classy? Maybe wanting a little elegance in your life? Try some of these soothing, lo-fi loving practices to help you keep your head on straight.
Lights: OUT
"I take a lengthy shower, listen to the best music I find on my playlist and turn off the lights. It's so relaxing"
"I did this for years, and only recently started getting back into it. Much healthier than the binge-drinking I have been doing."
A Mix Of Hot And Cold
"A walk with [coffee]/ tea/ hot coco"
"I love doing this especially in fall weather. There's something very satisfying about the brisk air, a warm sweater, and a warm drink in hand."
Don't Worry About The Cash For Just A day
"I treat myself."
"Buying a new game? Sure. Going out for ice cream? Why not. Heading to a cat cafe to cuddle some cats? Hell yea. Buying some premade ice coffee from sobeys? Sign me up. Watching an episode of Love Island or whatever else I'm binging? Yes. Anything to treat myself and feel better. Especially after going through a day of mistreatment and a rain cloud over my head"
It's The 4th Agreement
"I lay on my bed and listen to music. And reflect on how amazing I did. It's really difficult sometimes because I'm autistic. I know i did my best. I also like to listen to true crime and hang out with our chickens."
And then there's these which, safe to say, may not be for everyone, but if you ever get the urge to go out and chop some wood then by all means chop away.
Chop. Chop. Chop.
"On really bad days, I'll go outside with an axe and chainsaw. I'll cut down some dead or unsightly trees in the woods along the trails to our pond. Once the tree is down, I'll chop out the roots by hand with the axe. It's a hell of a workout and it really gets the frustrations out."
"My Dad taught me at a very young age that chopping and splitting wood is very cathartic."
"It's like therapy with a nice, obvious pile of what you accomplished at the end."
Get Into That Competitive Headspace
"Videogames, as cliché as it sounds it actually does help unless it's competitive"
"For me competitive games are the cure. Cause they need me so focused and at the top of my ability that I have to squeeze out everything I have left into it. And that leaves 0 room for me to think about that bad joke my boss pulled on me or what a complete ahole a colleague was."
