Part 2 of the 52 Frugal Ways to De-Stress series. The 52 Frugal Ways to De-Stress series is pretty self-exaplanatory, but it stems from something I struggle with. I am notorious for getting myself so worked up over things that I can’t relax. It’s tiring, frustrating, and an all around drain on my mood. My original solution was to create a list of things I could easily relax with and if I was feeling overly stressed, spend even 10 minutes doing one of these things. And I did that, but I realized something really important as I was compiling the list. There’s no way I’m alone in this feeling. So I’m sharing my list and adding to it with your ideas to ensure that 2016 is a less stressful year for us all!
Music is one of my all-time favorite ways to relax. Cranking up the volume of one of my favorite songs and singing along in the vehicle? Pure bliss.
Depending on my mood though, sometimes it takes different music to help me relax. Some days I need those blood-pumping tunes to get me out of a funk while other days, I’d take acoustic or instrumental music to help mellow my mood. And if we’re being honest here, some days (more like a lot of days) it takes a good movie soundtrack or some Disney songs to get me back into a good state of mind.
Below are some of my go-to playlists on Spotify for when I’m need of a little music TLC:
- Acoustic Covers
- Endorphin Rush
- Songs to Sing in the Shower
- Florence + The Machine: Between Two Lungs
- Shake Up Your Day
- Mood Booster
- Sunny Day
- Maroon 5 – Overexposed
- Disney
- Fun Workout
- Strange Magic Soundtrack
My tastes are pretty varied and the playlist of choice always depends on my mood and whatever it is that’s making me so stressed. I’m also a sucker for seasonal music (Halloween and Christmas playlists are SO my jam for 3 months of the year.)
One of the reasons that music works so well for relaxation is that it’s able to get out attention and distract us from whatever is troubling us, especially if we have a positive emotional attachment to the song. I can think of a ton of songs that I’ve heard on trips, our wedding song, or even just songs from movies I love that as soon as I hear them – I’m instantly transported back to that moment. For those that don’t have emotional ties to music like I do, classical music or instrumental music may be a better option. Especially if you’re able to meditate and clear your mind (still working on this one!)
So now I’ve shared what I love to listen to and how it helps me relax. Now I want to know: what music do you listen to when you relax or de-stress?