How I unwind

Today’s question is how do I unwind after a demanding day?

Believe it or not, I am under quite a bit of stress. I have people who count on me every day. Business processes would fail if I was unable to properly manage the resources for which I am responsible. Knowing this, coupled with my natural desire to keep things up and running, builds up a lot of stress inside me.

A lot of workplaces are also highly competitive, though it is often masked by nice mannerism. The battle is fought using office politics, subtle manipulation, and passive aggressive behavior. I believe it’s just the nature of people when they come together and there is some perceived prize that they think they can wriggle out of someone’s hands. In my opinion, this greatly magnifies the stress in a workplace.

I know a lot of this competitiveness stems from envy, but I have never been that envious of anyone. It’s simply not my vice, but I have other vices to make up for it. I mean, different vices call to different people. I think my lack of envy probably stems from the fact that I have never been all that competitive. I hope we all win! I can also be fairly successful without being vicious or filled with hate. My ability to succeed stems entirely from my own creativity, hard work, patience, and of course, the blessings of God.

I could write at lengths on details about why I’m stressed, but this question is about unwinding from that stress. There was a time when I didn’t really need a strategy for this, but these days I would be dragged down without doing something to recuperate. Below is a list of the things I use to unwind from the stress of the day. It’s not exhaustive, and I’m always looking for ways to destress (suggestions please!). Honestly, I sometimes fear that my life will be reduced to just doing coping methods all day, while lying in a fetal position, hoping life will leave me alone for a change. Just kidding! (maybe).

Sleep

I sleep a lot more these days. Not necessarily at night though. My sleep cycle seems to be eight or ten hours off. I really don’t start to feel awake until the sun is on its way down in the afternoon. That being said, without sleep, I will fall apart, so I take naps during the day to compensate. I take a brief one around noon, and another one when I first get home from work. It is actually surprising how much energy is restored to me from only a few minutes of shut eye. I feel like naps were once a lot more common, but after the industrial age the focus was on long hours of production. Sleep was considered lazy, but your body and mind need it desperately.

Walking

Since I moved to this city, I started walking around quite a bit. I like being out and about. There is usually something to see, and I am always meeting interesting new people. For instance, below is something I saw while walking home the other day. I also work in a building that is pretty big and spread out, so I walk quite a way indoors just to get to where I need to be. Walking is good exercise, which is important for your health, and also reduces stress.

Reading

I spend a lot of time reading, and I also like to listen to audiobooks while I’m walking around the city. I have had a scription to Audible for many years now. I used to use it while commuting, but now I mainly use it while walking. I still listen to it while driving, but it’s a really short commute to the office these days. In the past, I read a lot of self-help books. I think they helped to get me where I am today because they motivated me to keep going. Motivational and inspirational reading can help you feel better about life, which reduces stress.

Writing

I have always liked the idea of being a writer, but I don’t know that there was a good outlet for that in the past. I mean, I would start writing stories I had in mind as a kid, but then I would stall. Discovering blogging and self-publishing has opened up a new door for creativity. I have always felt like I should give something back to all those writers I read over the years. They helped me to believe in myself. They gave me hope.

Storms

I’ve mentioned this before, but the sound of rain and thunder calms me down. I feel like I am one with the spirit of the storm. If you are wondering, people who love the sound of rain are called pluviophiles. It’s a real thing.

There’s a special app I use to play rain and thunder sounds through my computer speakers. It is called Ambie, and you can get it in the Microsoft store for free. There is a lot of sounds you can mix together to get whatever ambient noise you want to hear, but I usually settle for the rain sounds. I often sleep with this on all night because it relaxes me.

There are also lots of YouTube channels that specialize in ambient rain and thunder sounds. I subscribe to a few of those. Below is an example of what I’m talking about.

Music

I sometimes listen to music. Music has a profound way of changing my mood. Every song has a different effect on me, some energize me, some pull on my heart strings, some make me sad, and some inspire me to be creative. If I select just the right one, it can help to destress me from a long day.

I’m always open to suggestions if you have any. I often try new artists. Actually, I’m always looking for new things to try out, not just in music. It keeps life interesting.

I heard the one below from a remix I saw on Instagram. The post kind of called to me, so I looked up the song and artist. It’s new to me, because I don’t typically hear this type of music where I live. I kind of like it though. Maybe you will too.

Alcohol

I was taught this was a bad thing growing up, but I sometimes think it is helpful for unwinding from a stressful day. In a previous book I read, it was mentioned that alcohol is an agent of myopia. That is to say, it numbs the mind in such a way that it can only focus on one thing at a time. This can be helpful when there are too many thoughts going through your head. Unfortunately, if that one thing is bad, it doesn’t help too much, so you have to be careful.

If you want to read more about the alcohol myopia theory I mentioned here, I suggest you read Malcolm Gladwell‘s Talking to Strangers. It’s non-fiction, but definitely an interesting read. I’ve actually read most of his books. They are all pretty thought provoking.

Friendship

I occasionally stumble upon some really awesome person who teaches me so much about life and opens my eyes to my own undiscovered self. I know those special people are sent by God at just the right time in your soul’s evolution. I owe some of them a debt I will never be able to repay. They literally saved my life. The love I have for them actually brings tears to my eyes just writing this. I wish they could remain with me for a lifetime, but there is a season to everything in this world. Only Heaven is forever, and I know I will see them there one day.

Family

I had a wonderful family. I often look back on memories of my dad and grandmother. They taught me that being good was important and that there was greater meaning to everything we do in life. They taught me about prayer and instilled a belief in a higher power. They laid the foundation to a persona that has withstood everything that life has thrown at it and even thrived. God rest their souls eternally.

There is also this thing I sometimes do when I wake up and don’t know if I can do this day. I just lay there and imagine my grandmother petting my head like she did when I was young and sick with fever. The affection that someone shows you in childhood lasts a lifetime. Till this day, I don’t think I could make it without her. It’s just a memory, but it has a profound power over reality.

Faith

The most powerful thing I have in my arsenal against everything the world can throw at me is my undying faith in almighty God. When I am at my lowest, I pray. I feel an uplifting power coming from it. It is sometimes even overwhelming, sending chills down my spine. I know his spirit is with me always. It is the one constant in my life since childhood, the one person who will never desert or forsake me, the one person who was with me in the beginning of my life and will still be there to greet me on the other side.

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How do you unwind? How do you deal with stress at work? Have you ever had to deal with office politics? What vice is your weakness? Have you met any special people who get you through? Do memories change the present? Are you a pluviophile? Do you have any song suggestions? Let me know in the comments, and don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe!