When the pile of paperwork gets the best of you, or a project deadline is looming, take an instant break with Calm.com. The website (also available as an app on iOS) takes you through a guided, chill-out meditation right at your desk. You can choose from different nature scenes and select the length of your meditation (as short as two minutes or as long as 20 minutes), depending on how aggro you are.
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Watch a Funny Video
We are officially giving you permission to watch YouTube videos because laughter really is the best medicine. Researchers have found that laughter reduces potentially harmful stress hormones in our bodies. So go watch that video of a cat playing banjo. It's good for you.
If you've ever ridden the subway in New York City, you'll understand why so many people are plugged into their ear buds. Music can be a powerful mood-changer. So if your daily commute is making you tense or that shrieking kid in the airplane is grating on your last nerve, pipe into some relaxing music. Check out StereoMood.com, a website that creates playlists based on the kind of mood you're in (or want to get into).
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Have a Cuppa
Alas, we've discovered the secret to a Brit's calm, unflappable demeanor: studies have shown that people who drink tea have less of the stress hormone cortisol in their blood after a stressful event. Trying to incorporate tea into your daily routine is a great way to preemptively prevent stress.
It's been said that a hug is "like an emotional Heimlich." (Thank you, "Pushing Daisies.") And now there's science to back it up: a study from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill found that people who hugged their significant other had an overall lower heart rate and blood pressure when talking about a personal experience that triggered anger or stress. So if you're starting to feel upset, go hug somebody. (Preferably somebody you know.)
