Stress Less, Laugh More: 12 Weirdly Effective Ways to Manage Stress (That Are Actually Fun)
- B&B Therapy
- May 22
- 5 min read
Updated: 16 hours ago
Let’s face it — “just breathe” doesn’t always cut it!
Sometimes, managing stress takes a little more than deep breaths and herbal tea. Sometimes it takes… a sock puppet. Or disco music. Or screaming along to power ballads in your kitchen.
If traditional self-care feels a little tired, you’re not alone. Here are some fun, quirky, and surprisingly effective ways to manage stress when life gets a little too lifey.
1. Doodle Therapy: How Drawing Squiggles Can Save Your Sanity
Ever find yourself mindlessly scribbling on the edge of a notebook during a meeting? Good news: That might be the stress relief tool you didn’t know you had. Doodling is no longer just for bored students — it’s a legit mental health trick.
Why it Works: Doodling engages your brain in a low-stakes creative task, distracting your mind from anxious loops and helping you enter a mini flow state. It boosts focus and can even improve memory retention.
How to Try It:
Keep a “doodle pad” near your desk or in your bag.
Start with squiggles, mandalas, or even your favorite cartoon characters.
Not artistic? Try Zentangle patterns — structured doodling anyone can do.
Bonus Tip: Try doodling with your non-dominant hand for an extra mindfulness challenge.
2. Monster Roaring (Trust the Process)
Feeling swallowed by stress? Try becoming the monster.
How to Try It:
Go somewhere private (or don’t — no judgment).
Take a deep breath and let out your biggest, most cathartic ROAR.
Stomp around like a Godzilla villain, knock over pillows, feel powerful.
Why it Works: Raw vocal expression can release pent-up tension. Plus, it's hard to take your stress seriously while pretending to be a Tyrannosaurus.
3. Garlic Bread Meditation: Yes, It’s a Thing (and It Works)
Stressed? Anxious? Try this: Close your eyes, take a deep breath, and imagine pulling a hot, buttery slice of garlic bread apart. Slowly. Feel better already?
Sensory meditation — but make it delicious! This playful technique blends visualization with mindfulness. Instead of focusing on your breath, you focus on a sensory-rich scene — like eating your favorite comfort food.
How to Do It:
Choose a food that brings you comfort (garlic bread, pancakes, ramen).
Visualize the texture, smell, and taste in vivid detail.
Engage all your senses as if it were real.
Why it Helps: Engaging the senses helps pull your mind from anxious thoughts into the present moment.
4. Disco Cleaning: Fight Stress with a Mop and a Beat
Stressed and stuck in a rut? Try battling anxiety with… a feather duster and Donna Summer. Yes, you read that right — it’s time for disco cleaning.
Why It Works: Cleaning provides a sense of control, progress, and instant gratification. Add upbeat music and movement, and suddenly you're not just scrubbing the sink — you're dancing your way to dopamine.
How to Try It:
Create a “cleaning playlist” with high-energy, feel-good tracks (think ABBA, Lizzo, Queen).
Set a timer for 15 minutes and treat it like a dance battle with dust.
Wear something ridiculous — boas, sunglasses, or a glitter headband — purely for the vibe.
Bonus Points: Pretend you’re in a cleaning montage from a ‘90s rom-com. It’s impossible to be miserable while lip-syncing into a toilet brush.
5. Indoor Forest Bathing: Nature Vibes Without the Bug Bites
Can’t make it to the woods but desperately need a mental reset? Welcome to indoor forest bathing — nature therapy without ever leaving your house (or encountering a single mosquito).
What It Is: Inspired by the Japanese practice of shinrin-yoku (forest bathing), this technique is all about immersing yourself in the sensory experience of nature — even if your “forest” is a houseplant named Carl.
How to Try It:
Surround yourself with plants, nature sounds, or woodsy essential oils (pine, cedar, eucalyptus).
Sit near a window and bask in natural light.
Play a nature soundscape: birdsong, rustling leaves, or rainfall.
Do nothing but breathe and soak it in for 10 minutes.
Why It Works: Studies show that even simulated nature exposure can lower cortisol and blood pressure. You don’t need a forest, just a little intention and a leafy vibe.
6. Complain to a Plant
Sometimes you don’t want solutions — you just want to rant. Enter: the loyal, judgment-free houseplant.
How to Try It:
Sit your favorite leafy friend down.
Vent your heart out: “WHY is email so stressful, Gerald?”
Bonus points: Give the plant a name and a backstory.
Why it Works: Talking out loud helps you process emotions. Plants don’t interrupt, give bad advice, or ghost you. They just vibe and listen.
7. Therapeutic Karaoke: Scream-Sing Your Feelings
Science says singing reduces cortisol. We say screaming the chorus of “Let It Go” like your life depends on it is both therapeutic and iconic.
How to Try It:
Grab your favorite emotional banger.
Sing like your neighbors aren't home.
Extra credit if you act out the performance in the mirror.
Why it Works: Singing activates your parasympathetic nervous system, boosting mood and lowering anxiety — plus, it's really hard to stress while doing dramatic air guitar.
8. Sock Puppet Pep Talks: Get Encouragement From a Sock
Yes, we're serious. Make a sock puppet. Name it. Let it hype you up like a tiny woolly life coach.
How to Try It:
Take a clean sock, add googly eyes (optional), and give it a name like “Coach Cozy.”
Talk to it like it's your best friend. Ask it for advice.
Say the pep talk out loud. Laugh. Repeat.
Why it Works: Externalizing positive self-talk makes it easier to believe. Also, sock puppets are hilarious. That helps too.
9. Slow Walk Club: Walk Like a Turtle, Think Like a Monk
Take a walk — but at half speed. No phones. No podcasts. Just you, your breath, and the art of moving slow in a fast world.
Why It Works: Slow walking is a mindfulness practice that grounds you in the present and gives your nervous system a much-needed break from “go-go-go” mode.
10. Miniature Dance Raves in the Bathroom
No one will judge your moves — because no one’s watching. (We hope.)
How to Try It:
Lock the door, turn on your favorite guilty pleasure song.
Dance in front of the mirror for 90 seconds like you're headlining Coachella.
Bonus if you include finger guns or interpretive twirls.
Why it Works: Micro-movements and music break up physical and mental stagnation. The sillier the dance, the lighter the mood.
11. Juice Box Breakdowns: Regress to Recharge
Sometimes, the best way to handle adulthood is to channel your inner 8-year-old.
How to Try It:
Get your favorite childhood snack (juice box, fruit snacks, etc.).
Watch a cartoon or color with crayons for 10 minutes.
No phones, no responsibilities, just full-on kid mode.
Why it Works: Lighthearted regression is calming, nostalgic, and gently pulls you out of survival mode. Plus, who doesn’t love juice boxes?
12. Dice of Destiny: Beat Decision Fatigue with a Roll
Tiny decisions piling up? Use a die to decide. Stress melts when the pressure to choose perfectly disappears.
How to Try It:
Write 6 fun, helpful activities (e.g., “stretch,” “walk,” “nap,” “snack,” “call a friend,” “color”).
Roll a die and do the thing.
No take-backs. Embrace the chaos.
Why it Works: Stress often spikes from decision overload. Outsourcing small choices to chance gives your brain a break — and adds playfulness to the mix.
Final Thoughts
You don’t have to be serious to take your mental health seriously. In fact, inviting weirdness, creativity, and humor into your coping toolkit might just be the most sustainable form of self-care out there.
Next time your brain feels like it’s on fire, don’t just white-knuckle through it.Try roaring like a monster, ranting to a plant, or baking angry muffins. Because hey — healing can be hilarious.
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