Sweat it Off: Finding a way to be active in your day can help relieve stress

I step into my backyard and queue “I Wanna Get Better” by Bleachers. I’m stressed out thinking about my homework list for the evening, adding more bullet points each time I go over it in my head. After half an hour of hitting the lacrosse ball against the wall in my backyard, I’m far more ready to calmly address my homework pile. 

Everyone needs a wall ball. A way to bring themselves back to reality after a long day. 

I’m a very hands-on learner, and after sitting for almost eight hours, my mind is racing. Playing pass with a wall is just the movement I need. I transfer my focus to hitting the ball on the square I have marked off in tape. While repeating the thought of hit the square (in italics), I start to reflect on the positives of my day as time goes on. After finally releasing anxieties into the power of my pass, I feel re-energized.

The days where I go straight from school to work to tennis practice to study sessions, ending up at home close to 10 p.m., — not getting those 30 minutes to center myself can make or break my day. If I don’t set aside that time I rush through my work, immediately it is not as good as it could have been if I started it in a relaxed mood.

Everyone should set aside that time where they can take a break, whether it be painting, gardening or just anything that helps them forget about some of the things they are worried about. When the 30 minute timer goes off, I feel I’m capable of accomplishing my to-do list. I feel in control of a day that earlier had escaped me.

So if you have a seemingly endless to-do list and a hyphenate schedule, squeeze 30 minutes of an active hobby that gets your hands a little dirty into your daily routine.