Meditation can help you feel more mindful of your surroundings and deal with the world’s myriad stresses, but what happens when it just isn’t for you? It’s more common than you may think, and if the practice meant to make you less stressed is actually getting you all worked up, it just may not be for you.
The good news is that meditation isn’t the only game in town when you need to decompress from a tough day or set your intentions each morning. For those who can’t get into meditating, there’s a whole host of alternatives to keep you centred and mindful.
Here are 6 meditation-free ways to relieve stress.
Do Yoga
While yoga definitely has some overlap with meditation, all of the movement and core strengthening is a welcome addition for people whose minds tend to wander or get bored with the silence and stillness of meditating. Yoga will still give you a lot of the same mental benefits as meditation. If you can find a class that incorporates some breathing exercises into its practice, they can also be a helpful tool for when you need stress relief outside of the studio.
Go For A Long Run
One of the benefits of meditation is getting out of your own head and being more present in the moment. It’s something that long distance runners also embrace, and a big reason why they hit the trails and rack up the miles. In addition to making you more attuned to your body, long distance running has proven mental benefits -- the classic "runner's high" of endorphins during a lengthy run can act as a natural well-being booster.
Try Your Hand at Drawing And Painting
If something a little less active is more your speed, dust off your paint brushes and grab a canvas for a lesson in creativity. Taking the time to draw with intention and focus is a great way to ease your work or life stress, allowing you to think only of your artistic creation and be present in the moment. Don’t worry if you’re no Rembrandt, as long as you’re able to lose yourself and decompress, it doesn’t really matter if drawing stick figures is your best artistic effort.
Cook A Proper Meal
Stay focused on a task at hand and take a break by making yourself a solid meal. Not only does eating healthy help with your mental state, but there is a certain satisfaction from creating something beautiful or at the very least delicious from scratch.
Bigger projects -- like cooking for a dinner party -- are also a fun way to challenge yourself in the kitchen and can keep your mind engaged when you’ve got a multi-course meal to prepare. You can also try your hand at baking, which tends to require a slower pace and more careful measurements. Like meditation, it’s a nice antidote to life’s frenetic pace.
Listen To Music
If the silence and solitude of meditation is a little too silent for you, settling down with your favorite artist for some chill time is a great alternative. It’s all about taking a moment to sit down and do little else other than listen. Meditation is partially about getting in touch with your different senses and creating more awareness, which is something that music can help with as you try to center yourself.
Do A Deep Clean
This may not sound like the most relaxing activity to replace meditation, but breaking out the mop and broom is actually a great way to unwind and work out the stresses of the day. There’s something cathartic about digging out the dust and grime from your home, and in addition to the process of cleaning being helpful for your well-being, you’re going to end up with a sparkling clean space that makes it easier to feel like yourself inside.
You may also like...
The Latest
People & Places
Creating Value Through Community in the Face of COVID-19
Fearing for the safety of the Diné community in the face of COVID-19, a collective of women took the wellbeing of their people into their hands.

Better Yourself
How to Feel Empowered Through an Abundant Mindset
Adopting this way of thinking is an act of generosity to ourselves and others.

Better Your Werk
Unlocking Your Next Career Move Post-lockdown
6 ways to turn job uncertainty into opportunity.

Do Good Werk
6 Ways to Make Gen Zs Feel Welcome in the Workplace
Generation Z, or ‘iGen,’ the generation born between 1996 and 2010, are entering the workplace in full force.

Better Your Werk
Goal Setting You Can Actually Feel Good About
A how-to guide on how to find the satisfaction you're searching for.

Better Your Werk
Is LinkedIn Losing Ground?
It’s not pretty to look at or friendly to use, so why do we keep logging in?

People & Places
When Something Golde Stays: An Interview with Golde’s Co-CEOs
“For us it was never a question,” says Issey Kobori, speaking of the decision to build a business with his partner Trinity Mouzon Wofford. At just shy of 27, Kobori and Wofford have secured a host ...

Better Your Werk
How to Make Working from Home Work for You
The staying sane strategy you may need, whether you like it or not.

Better Yourself
Keep Calm and Activate the Vagus Nerve
Easy and actionable practices for slowing down your system with psychologist Hiroko Demichelis Positive psychologist, Hiroko Demichelis believes that as a society, we have mastered the art of the h...

Better Your Werk
In The Era Of The Side Hustle, Is The Hobby Dead?
Why we should resist the pressure to constantly optimize for profit.

People & Places
Dr. Sarah Hill: Could Your Birth Control Pill Be Affecting Your Ability to Do Good Work?
When the first oral contraceptive pill was approved by the FDA in 1960, it changed the world. The pill enabled women to have control over how and when they got pregnant, and thus to discover what ...
