De-Stress Your Inbox
Sometimes the best way to relax is finding a stress-free way to make your life easier for the future. One of the most stressful things in the universe may be a crowded inbox. First, either activate the “offline” function of your email software (Microsoft Outlook has this feature) or set a generic “away” message to remove distractions. Next, file all the emails into folders by hierarchy of importance. The folder of highest importance could be for emails that require a response that day and the last folder could be for emails that need a response by the end of the week. Leave no email uncategorized!
Take a Stroll with Google Street View
Google Maps isn’t just for frantically searching for your cousin’s wedding venue or attempting to find alien life around Area 51. Google Maps’ street view feature has really stepped up its game recently and documents views off the street. Now you can traverse the 17-mile-long Large Hadron Collider tunnel at CERN (the European Organization for Nuclear Research), or peek inside 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. Cozy up in your computer chair and inspect a telescope at the South Pole, or follow the life of a sea turtle at the Great Barrier Reef.
Plan Your Winter Reading List
What’s the only thing better than diving into a good book? Searching for a good book to dive into later, of course! With winter just around the corner, there’s never been a better time to start planning your winter reading list than today. Book cataloging websites like Goodreads are a great place to start. If you’ve exhausted all your favorite authors’ books, or just want to see what other people are reading, search for Goodreads Choice Awards winners. Once you have a few in mind, search online for local (or not so local) bookstores or libraries for your winter reading pilgrimage.
Sign in to Chill
Nowadays, when we’re in need of help, we turn to our phones. Whether it’s searching online for an answer or downloading a useful app, there’s usually an answer on the screen. But what if the help we need is existential? Meditation—there’s an app for that. Calm.com has made an app that helps with anxiety, guides you through numerous meditation sessions, and can even improve your sleep. The real benefit, though, is its “Daily Calm” feature that only takes 10 minutes and helps you ease into the day or unwind before putting it to rest.