Spa visits are expensive, and not everyone can afford to have a personal massage therapist. But absolutely EVERYBODY needs to be able to unwind and relax their bodies as well as their minds.<\/p>\n
Here\u2019s a list of 10 ways to relax\u2026 that don\u2019t cost a dime!<\/strong><\/p>\n 1)\u00a0\u00a0 Take a walk through a forest. You won\u2019t be distracted by advertisements or tempted by storefronts.<\/p>\n 2)\u00a0\u00a0 Use\u00a0stress<\/a>\u00a0balls (you can order samples from a\u00a0promotional products<\/a>\u00a0web site) to relieve\u00a0tension<\/a>\u00a0in your hands, shoulders, wrists, and arms.<\/p>\n 3)\u00a0\u00a0 Close your eyes, sit in front of a fan, and pretend you\u2019re on the beach. Play sound of ocean waves quietly in the background.<\/p>\n 4)\u00a0\u00a0 Look through old picture albums. Remembering fond memories can take your mind off current problems and bring you back to a time when things were simpler<\/p>\n 5)\u00a0\u00a0 Download a sound file of white noise or go to a white noise generator website. At a low volume, white noise can keep annoying (and\u00a0tension<\/a>-causing) sounds from interrupting your thoughts.<\/p>\n 6)\u00a0\u00a0 Do a simple, repetitive activity that doesn\u2019t require your attention, but don\u2019t watch TV or listen to music while you do it. Something as simple as copying down recipes from a book or sorting beads can occupy your hands while your mind is free to relax.<\/p>\n 7)\u00a0\u00a0 Read an honest-to-goodness book: not a blog post on your laptop or the latest best seller from your e-reader. Get an old favorite out, worn pages and all, and read it in a quiet, comfortable place.<\/p>\n 8)\u00a0\u00a0 Breathe deeply and evenly. Count your breaths all the way up to 100. Start over if you let your mind wander into something that causes you\u00a0anxiety<\/a>.<\/p>\n 9)\u00a0\u00a0 Take a bath. Okay, this one costs money if you pay for water, but you\u2019ve got to bathe yourself somehow! As long as you keep your electronics away from water, being in the bath prevents you from checking your email, making phone calls, or surfing the web while the hot water soothes your muscles.<\/p>\n 10) Talk to yourself. Although this particular strategy can start out\u00a0stressful<\/a>, studies have shown that merely verbalizing a problem gives you a better understanding of where the conflict is and may boost your ability to solve those problems. By not involving another person, you don\u2019t have to worry about defending yourself or explaining irrelevant details.<\/p>\n Do you have any free relaxation tips you\u2019d like to share? How have these worked for you?<\/p>\n