Work can be very stressful. And so can home for some people. To be able to do our best in any situation it is important therefore that we take time out to chill, to de-stress and give our minds a rest from constant pressure and stimulation.

Although there are small things that you can do every day – take a walk, practice mindfulness or do a short yoga session, the best time to do this if you work Monday to Friday is at the weekend. The weekend gives you two whole days that you don’t need to (and shouldn’t) think about work, giving your mind time to relax and unwind.

If you are in need of some ideas on what to do to de-stress at the end of the working week, here are some for you:

Do something that you enjoy

The weekend is for doing what YOU want to do. That means making things that you enjoy a priority. Whether it is spending time with your family, jet-skiing, painting or watching football, it doesn’t matter.

Doing things that we enjoy not only give us happiness, they can also re-affirm who you are outside of the work environment and can raise general satisfaction with life.

Treat yourself to a spa experience

Everyone deserves to be pampered at some point, especially after a long and difficult week at work. Daily or weekend spa experiences are designed to help you to de-stress and relax. Saunas, manicures, massages or facials carried out by professionals who are there specifically to help you to relax and feel spoilt can be an excellent way to unwind.

Go with the flow…

When you have a week packed full of stress, deadlines and unexpected pressures, adopting a go with the flow attitude at the weekends is a great way to take the pressure off, start enjoying your time – and we all know that the best things are always unplanned. Although at weekends we always have a list of things that we need to do, we don’t need to have everything planned out and should be able to take things as they come a bit.

Laugh

Laughing is known to be a great combater of stress. In fact, research shows that laughter has a positive impact on us both mentally and physically.

One of the best things about laughing is that it’s spontaneous and we don’t really know when we’re going to burst into a fit of giggles. We all know, however, that when we’re stressed, we don’t laugh very much!

Try to get yourself into as many places where you are likely to laugh – maybe larking around with the kids, going to see a comedian, watching a funny film or going out with particularly amusing friends, for example.

Get some exercise

Although you might feel like curling up on the sofa with a bottle of wine and a massive packet of crisps, a better way to de-stress is to get some exercise. Not only is it good for you, taking exercise can help to boost your brain’s endorphins – a chemical which makes you feel good. So even if you don’t feel like doing it right now, you will be pleased that you went for that run afterwards.

You could run, go for a long walk, play football with friends, go swimming, join a club or go to the gym for a stress-busting fix which will also benefit you physically.

Turn off electronic devices

You probably spend the whole week being bleeped at, pinged at or notified. Although much of this is necessary in the world today, when you are off work and trying to de-stress, you can afford yourself a few hours without these constant distractions and interruptions.

Even better if you can avoid phones, TVs, computer and tablets to give yourself a real detox from the constant stimulation which no doubt is adding to your stress levels. Try to take time to enjoy a period of quiet, either reading or just getting lost in your own thoughts. It’s surprising the difference that this can make.

Be creative

Being creative in whatever way that you enjoy is another great way to de-stress. It can take your mind into other worlds and put your daily life far out of your thoughts. You might enjoy playing music, painting, drawing, pottery or making clothes for example.

Working out how to de-stress after a long week at work is vital for our mental and physical health. According to WebMD, between 75% and 90% of all visits to the doctor are related to concerns about stress and ailments associated with it. It is essential, therefore that we can find ways to de-stress after a week of hard graft.