These 10 Ways to Relax When Stressed Are Weird, But They Work

 

Let’s not sugarcoat it.  Being a functioning adult can feel like juggling flaming swords while walking a tightrope made of emails. 

 

Stress is everywhere. 

 

It’s in your calendar invites, your group chats, and that one drawer full of tangled cords you’ve sworn to organize since 2018.

 

But, luckily for us stressed people, relief doesn’t always have to come in the form of meditation retreats or $200 weighted blankets.

 

Whether you’re dancing badly to Beyoncé or channeling peaceful beach-glam energy like a rom-com protagonist, relaxing doesn’t have to look one way.

 

Sometimes, it looks like bubble wrap. Or smelling things like a Victorian botanist.

 

Ready to stress less and laugh more? Here are ten oddly effective, surprisingly fun ways to relax when stressed.

 

 

 

10 Surprisingly Fun Ways to Relax When Stressed Out

 

1. Dance Like the Rent Is Due and Your Only Job Is Vibes

When was the last time you danced with wild abandon? 

 

Not a calculated TikTok routine. I mean full-on, limbs-everywhere, possibly-summoning-a-weather-event dancing. 

 

Crank up your favorite booty-shaking song and just go off in your kitchen. 

 

Your dog might look at you sideways, and your neighbors might wonder if they should call someone. 

 

It doesn’t matter! 

 

You’re a one-person music video, and joy is your cardio.

 

 

 

2. Pop Bubble Wrap Like It Owes You Money

I don’t care how old you are, bubble wrap is timeless. 

 

There’s something so satisfying about that unmistakable pop-pop-pop that soothes the chaos inside. 

 

It’s tactile therapy. 

 

Next time you get a package, forget what’s inside. Go straight for the wrap and go full bubble-wrap ninja. No judgment.

 

No bubble wrap? There’s an app for that. Of course, there is. Because this is the future, and the future includes virtual stress explosions.

 

 

 

3. Color Like a Rebel Without a Deadline

Adult coloring books are the silent heroes of stress relief. 

 

There is no login required, and no algorithms judging your art. 

 

Just you, some colored pencils, and a page full of mandalas that don’t mind if you color outside the lines. 

 

Feel free to color however you want. Scribble. Doodle. Make that cactus hot pink. Live your truth.

 

This is your brain on art, and for once, that’s a good thing.

 

 

 

4. Go Outside and Stare at a Tree Like It Has Answers

Turns out nature isn’t just for outdoorsy influencers with hiking boots and water filters. 

 

Even a 10-minute stroll through your not-so picture-perfect neighborhood counts. 

 

Touch some grass. Listen to birds yell at each other. Find a tree and pretend it’s your therapist. “You’re right, tree. I am overthinking again.”

 

Nature doesn’t judge. It just photosynthesizes and vibes.

 

 

 

5. Laugh Like You’re Getting Paid for It

Seriously, laughter is medicinal.

 

I say that as someone who once laughed so hard I cried and then weirdly felt like I’d done a whole therapy session. 

 

Watch a comedy special. Call that one friend who’s an unofficial comedian.. Binge cat fails on YouTube. 

 

Whatever gets your laugh engine going, fire it up.

 

Laughter is a full-body reset. Unlike kale, it doesn’t taste like sadness.

 

 

 

6. Meditate (Badly, But Anyway)

Don’t overthink it, but mindfulness doesn’t mean becoming a levitating monk. 

 

It simply means taking a few deep breaths and not yelling at yourself for checking your email during downward dog. 

 

Try sitting quietly for a few minutes. 

 

Naturally, because you are a stressed person, your brain will rebel. That’s normal. 

 

Gently tell it, “Hey, not now.” Like you would a clingy ex.

 

It’s not about perfection. It’s about giving your nervous system a commercial break.

 

 

 

7. Take a Bubble Bath Like You’re the Protagonist in a Feel-Good Rom-Com

It’s cliche, but there’s something absurdly luxurious about a good soak. 

 

Candles? Optional. Lo-fi jazz? Encouraged. Bubbles? An absolute must.

 

Pour in something that smells like pure relaxation and coziness, climb in, and let your inner drama queen take over.

 

This is not just a bath. This is a mood reset in liquid form.

 

 

 

8. Reconnect with Your Inner Child Who Didn’t Care About Deadlines

Remember recess? That magical hour when your only job was not to fall off the monkey bars? 

 

Yeah. Let’s bring that energy back. 

 

Blow bubbles. Jump in puddles. Buy a sticker book. 

 

Play isn’t just for kids. It’s for grown-ups, AKA big kids, who’ve read the same Slack message six times and still don’t understand it.

 

Play is resistance. Play is healing. Play is low-key genius.

 

 

 

9. Journal Like a Secret Spy Whose Mission Is Emotional Honesty

Here’s the thing: your brain is loud. 

 

Journaling is how you turn down the volume. 

 

Write like no one’s reading because no one is. (Unless you accidentally leave it open on your desk and your cat walks on the keyboard—ask me how I know.)

 

No format. No grammar rules. Just you, your thoughts, and a pen that hopefully works.

 

 

 

10. Smell Something That Reminds You You’re a Human and Not a Productivity Machine

Aromatherapy might sound like wellness fluff, but don’t knock it ‘til you’ve sniffed some eucalyptus and had a minor spiritual awakening. 

 

Scents go straight to the brain’s emotion center. 

 

Lavender can chill you out. Citrus can pep you up. Bergamot can do…whatever bergamot does.

 

Light a candle, run a diffuser, or just open that fancy lotion you forgot you owned. 

 

Take a few deep breaths and chill.

 

 

 

Final Thought (Because You Deserve One)

You don’t need to overhaul your life or become a different person to feel less stressed.

 

Sometimes you just need a goofy dance, a warm bath, and the sacred ritual of popping plastic bubbles like your sanity depends on it.

 

Take what works. Leave what doesn’t. But promise yourself this: you’ll stop treating stress like a badge of honor and start treating peace like a birthright.

 

Now go forth and color like nobody’s judging.

 

Want even more ways to unwind? These 30 blissful de-stress activities are great for low-capacity days.

 

If you’re short on time and only have a few minutes, this 10-minute mood reset might be the quick win you need.

 

Need something gentler? These self-soothing strategies are cozy, calm, and totally doable.