Stress Relief Activities For Women………You ever have one of those weeks where everything feels like it’s just… loud? Like your phone won’t stop buzzing, your boss thinks your brain is a Google Drive he can access at any time, and your kid (or your cat) is suddenly obsessed with yelling at closed doors? That was me last week. And while I was lying on my bed in Queens, staring at a crack in the ceiling (that I swear wasn’t there last month), I thought: “I need actual stress relief. Not a motivational quote on Instagram. Not a $50 candle. Something real.”
So here we are. Stress relief activities for women, but not in a Pinterest-perfect way. More like, this is what I do (or try to do) when life in NYC feels like it’s been set to “extra.” Some days it works. Some days it doesn’t. Either way, it’s real.
How I Accidentally Found My First Stress Reliever
Back in 8th grade (yes, I’m going way back), I wore two completely different shoes to school. Not on purpose. It was a Monday. My mom laughed so hard she snorted her coffee. But here’s the thing: all my friends thought it was intentional. “She’s starting a trend!” one girl said. That moment taught me something weird — sometimes the thing that feels like a mistake is actually your relief. Because everyone laughed, and so did I. And for five minutes, the stress of being an awkward 13-year-old just evaporated.
Fast forward to now: I don’t wear mismatched shoes anymore (okay, except once on the 7 train when I left the house at 6am half-asleep), but I do look for those “release” moments. The ones that sneak up and shake the stress out of you.
Stress Relief Activities For Women That Actually Feel Doable
Because let’s be honest, not everyone’s got time for a two-hour bubble bath with rose petals or a silent retreat in Bali. I’m a Queens girl. My stress relief sometimes happens between a deli run and a Zoom call.
1. Walking Without a Destination
I call this my “just leave the apartment” therapy. No AirPods. No podcasts. Just me, sneakers, and the chaos of Queens Boulevard. I’ll wander down random streets, peek into weird little shops, and pretend I’m a tourist. Somehow, the noise outside makes the noise in my head quieter.
2. Cooking Something Ridiculous
Cooking can be stressful, sure, but it can also be the most grounding thing. Especially if you make it weird. Like, once I made pasta from scratch at midnight just because I saw it on TikTok. Flour everywhere. Cat paw prints on the counter. Total chaos. But by the time I sat down to eat, I felt like I’d wrestled my stress into dough.
3. Mini Dance Parties (Door Closed, No Audience)
Sometimes you just need to move your body without thinking. I’ll put on Lizzo or 90s Britney, close the bedroom door, and go full music-video mode. Terrible dancing. Zero shame. It’s like instant therapy.
And no, I’m not filming it for TikTok. This is private.
4. The 5-Minute “Do Nothing” Rule
I’m bad at meditating. My brain starts narrating grocery lists or random memories from 2009. So instead, I give myself five minutes of “do nothing.” Literally. I sit on the floor, stare at my plant, and breathe. Sometimes it turns into ten minutes. Sometimes my kid bursts in and asks if we have popsicles. But for a few moments, I’m still.
5. Laughing On Purpose (Yes, Really)
When I’m stressed, I watch stand-up clips on YouTube. Or old episodes of Parks and Rec. Or scroll through those chaotic group chat memes my friend Julia sends me. Laughter is like a sneaky exorcism for stress.
Weird But True: Sometimes Stress Relief Is Ugly
Here’s the thing nobody says: sometimes stress relief activities for women look boring or messy or even a little gross. Like crying in the shower while the water’s running so nobody hears. Or journaling with handwriting so bad you can’t read it later. Or lying on the living room floor staring at the ceiling fan until you feel human again.
That’s all valid. That’s all real.
What I’ve Tried (And Totally Failed At)
Because not every “stress relief” idea works for everyone.
- Bath bombs: My tub is too small. I just end up cold and annoyed.
- Adult coloring books: I get stressed about staying inside the lines.
- Scented candles: The one time I splurged on a $60 candle, my kid knocked it over. RIP “French Vanilla Escape.”
But trying and failing is part of it. Every failed attempt is like, okay, not that — but maybe something else.
The Queens Factor
Living in Queens adds its own flavor to stress relief. There’s a park for every mood. You can walk under the 7 train tracks, grab dumplings, sit on a bench, and watch pigeons fight over a bagel (which, weirdly, is very calming). There’s always noise, but also always life.
One of my favorite things to do when I’m fried? Take the bus to Flushing Meadows Park, sit near the Unisphere, and just… watch people. Families, skaters, old guys playing chess. For some reason, seeing other people just living takes the edge off my own stress.
A Few Low-Effort Ideas That Help Me
- Text a friend “send memes” instead of “how are you.”
- Write a list of everything making me mad, then crumple it up and throw it away dramatically.
- Put my phone on airplane mode for 30 minutes and pretend I’m unreachable.
It’s not about having a perfect self-care routine. It’s about having a little grab bag of things that bring you back to yourself.
Dialogue With My Sister
She called me last week while I was mid-meltdown about a work deadline.
Her: “Are you okay?”
Me: “Define okay.”
Her: “Did you eat today?”
Me: “Does coffee count?”
Her: “Go outside. Now. Call me back after a walk.”
I did. It helped. Sometimes stress relief is just someone bossing you into doing something simple.
Final Thoughts (But Not a Conclusion Because Life Isn’t Neat)
Stress relief isn’t one-size-fits-all. It’s trial and error, a little messy, a little beautiful. Some days you’ll find your thing. Some days you’ll just get through. Both are okay.
If you’re reading this and thinking, “I don’t even know where to start,” start small. Step outside. Put on a song you love. Text a friend. Burn the bad candle. Whatever. You deserve it.
Outbound Links
- A relatable post about stress-busting habits from another real person: https://www.tinybuddha.com/blog/40-ways-to-relax-in-5-minutes-or-less/
- A funny piece about “group chat chaos” memes: https://www.buzzfeed.com/groupchatmemes
- Outbound links to Glossier, Makeup & Beauty Blog, Buzzfeed, Skinny Confidential.
