Stress Reducers

I've just come home from a very stressful day at my part time job and that got me to thinking about what I do to unwind when I'm stressed. I have to admit, food is probably my favorite way to unwind but I'm working on finding other alternatives. Here are a few things I do:

Take a bubble bath. With a toddler, it is usually pretty short but even a few minutes helps.

Read a book or magazine. It is fun to let my mind wander for awhile and not focus on the craziness around me.

Eat dessert. My favorite treat is ice cream and I always have some kind of low fat ice cream on hand. My second favorite treat is a McDonald's Diet Coke. I don't know what it is about their's but I crave it. It isn't really dessert but it is a real treat for me. Since I rarely eat out though, I don't give in to this treat often.

Play with my child. Sometimes he is the source of stress but more often than not, spending a few quality minutes with him really calms me down.

Snuggle with my husband. It seems like we go ninety to nothing all day long and a few minutes sitting next to each other on the couch can be very relaxing. It gives us both bonding time and forces us to sit still for awhile.

Surf the net or watch TV. My guilty pleasure is spending time on the internet. I try to save this one for when the little one is in bed because I can get lost and spend hours here. I've been known to set a timer so that I don't waste my entire evening on the internet. Talking to friends, playing games, researching any and every topic - the list is endless as to what you can do on the internet.

Do you have any great and inexpensive ways you unwind after a stressful day? Feel free to share them in the comments section.