Literally 22 Things You Can Do Instead of Stress Eating

November 7 is National Stress Awareness Day. Because, what? We need to be MORE aware of stress?! SERIOUSLY!?

Today is the Wednesday after the Midterms. We're approaching the holidays. No matter where you stand  on these topics, whether you're happy or sad, we've been living in chaotic, hyper-busy, hyper-connected times. When we start to feel the stress seep in, we react to it in ways we see and don't see: By eating crap, drinking crap, shutting off emotionally, sleeping a lot or barely sleeping... The list goes on. 

These are all things that do NOTHING good for us hormonally to help us get back into a lower-stress zone. 

What if we could channel that stress differently? What if there were things to help stress stay at bay? Well, worry not, lovely friends!

Here are some tactics you can use to lower your stress and take a load off!

IN THE MOMENT WHEN YOU HAVE NO TIME

• Take a post-it note, scribble down three things you're grateful for and stick it on your computer. Repeat as many times as necessary throughout the day/week/month.
• Take a 10-deep-breaths break. 
• Play with Legos (which means keeping a bin of legos at your desk; do it)
• ​Watch a funny clip on YouTube that makes you laugh and LAUGH (seriously, you can take 11 seconds to watch this)

FOR WHEN YOU HAVE JUST A BIT OF TIME

• Work on a cross stitch pattern
• Follow cute animal hashtags on Instagram and take a two-minute scroll (we like Kitten Lady and Thoughts of Dog)
• ​Taking the dog on a walk in a different direction than you're used to
• ​Phone a friend and tell them/leave them a message about how much they mean to you (you may be helping them feel less stressed, too!)
• Read your horoscope instead of the comments section 
• Work on a puzzle​

FOR WHEN YOU HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO PLAN SOMETHING TO DO

• ​Carve pumpkins (who says it has to be before Halloween?)
• Roast the pumpkins' seeds
• Figure out how the sport Curling works
• ​Reading People Magazine instead of checking your phone during a pedicure
• Take a painting class
• ​Volunteer somewhere
• Take a fitness class that you've never tried
• Watch a YouTube video about how to fix something you've been meaning to fix

​

FOR LIFE

• Turning your phone on airplane mode before going to bed until you get to work (or no earlier one hour after you’ve woken up)
• Limit the amount of time you listen to the news
• Be incredibly picky about when and where you listen to said news​
• Practice gratitude​​

We hope some of these ideas help you take a load off! 

What are some ways YOU fight stress? Let us know in the comments!