A Dozen On-the-Fly Self-Soothers for Adults

It seems that everyone’s more stressed with ever less time for traditional stress busters like a two-hour lunch, let alone a weekend getaway, and certainly not the two-week beach basks common in generations past.

Might any of these on-the-fly destressers help you?

• Have a song rolling in your head. "It's a Small World After All' works well for me.
• As you get each tiny part of a task done, say to yourself, “Okay."
• Rock in a chair, even if you have to be working.
• Think, “Baby steps. What’s the next baby step?”
• Take three deep breaths, maybe staring at something beautiful, like a flower. Take twice as long to exhale as to inhale.
• Think of your most peaceful image: a baby sleeping, a fern-lined creek, clouds floating.
• Take a three-minute walk or drive, perhaps while listening to Pachelbel Canon or to your favorite pump-it-up music.
• Call someone you love, just to say you love them.
• Get on the floor with your dog.
• Have a ritual—for example, a waking or bedtime ritual.
• Realize that, with 7.7 billion people on the planet and that this day is a mere blink of history’s eye, it doesn’t matter that much.

There are no magic pills but at least these have no side effects.