Following is an excerpt of an article by Veronica Bowman with some good ideas for frugally coping with stress.
8 Low-Cost Ways to Reduce Stress
Stress is something most of us are all too familiar with. People turn to a variety of activities to help them cope with stress. Over eating, indulging in unhealthy snacks, and excessive or compulsive shopping are just a few stress-relieving behaviors that can adversely affect your health or seriously damage your budget. The suggestions listed below are offered as healthy, budget-friendly ways to relieve stress.
Take a hike. Sometimes just a walk down the hallway at work or a walk around the block can provide relief from a stressful moment. Incorporating a regular, mind-clearing walk into your daily routine is a great way to relieve stress.
Meditation is an ideal way to relieve stress. All that you need is a quiet place and a few moments and you can experience the peacefulness that meditation offers. You can find tips for learning how to meditate at websites such as
stopandbreathe.com. You may find it helpful to create a meditation space in your home or yard.
Listening to music is a great way to relieve stress. Some people find soothing music the best form of stress relief. For others, the best stress relieving music is something lively that they can sing along with or dance to. Find what works for you and let the music take away your stress.
Observation and distraction are ways to reduce stress that cost you little or nothing. When you’re feeling stressed about something, find an object or activity to focus on and give it your undivided attention. Everything from watching a sporting event to watching activity at a bird feeder fits into this category. If you’re stressed over a problem, you will often find that if you allow something to distract you from that problem, a solution will come to mind. A hobby, a phone call to a friend, a housecleaning frenzy or numerous other activities can be stress-relieving distractions.
Exercise has been described as “meditation in motion.” According to the information provided at
Mayoclinic.org. , exercise has some direct stress-busting benefits. Following the tips offered by the Mayo Clinic staff can get you headed in the right direction when it comes to setting up a stress-busting exercise routine that is best for you.
