Stress Busters

I sometimes visit this website called "The Happiness Project". Some things she has up there make sense, others just make me wonder, really, do people really need reminders for things like this? She put up a list of stress busters. One of them was, keep gas in the car. My thought to that was, duhh, of course, the car's not going to run on हवा! But I should not get so judgmental, to each his own, I am sure stuff that causes me stress would sound comical to someone out there as well.

Here's my little list:

• Try and keep clutter to the minimum. A clean home is a happy home!
  
• Keep EVERYTHING that you use daily in its place! My hubby taught me this :) If he sees something lying in the same place, gathering dust, for more than one week, he will kick it and say, "इसको फ़ेंक देंगे क्या?" (Should we throw this?) This includes things like expensive jewelery to passports to headbands and scrunchies, any darn thing. If its not in its place, he'll try to throw it! Just his way of making me value my things I guess! Initially I did it out of fear that he really will throw my stuff away, now I do it coz it makes sense :)
  
• Have a set schedule for doing routine chores. It helps to not have to think of how/when chores will get done. This used to really work me up! There's dishes in the sink, the floor's not vacuumed, the kitchen floor needs scrubbing, there is SO much to do, when and how will I do it! And I would sit and fret ये नही हुआ, वो नही हुआ! Now if I see something that needs to be done, I pretty much know when I will be doing it and how.
  Eg: I clean out both bathrooms in my house on Wednesday night. Thursday is garbage day for us, so it serves as a reminder to put the trash cans out as well. I buy groceries only during the weekend, that way I know I don't have one more stop after work to the grocery store on any other day. If we run out of something, we just find something else as a substitute.
  
• Give 15-20 minutes of head room for anything, try not to have ANYTHING scheduled back-to-back. Packed schedules and overcommitments just don't work!
• Schedule some leisure time for yourself at the end of the day, so you have something to look forward to. My reward is my books and going over my photographs and other hobby stuff.
  
• Get your clothes ready for the next day before going to bed. One less thing to do in the morning is GOOD! Especially thinking of what to wear, now that's a herculean task for the likes of me! (Jewelery has to match, shoes have to match, purse has to match, lipstick has to match, watch has to match, thank god I have only one car, nahi to even that would have to match!)
  
• I try to spend some time every morning either walking or working in my yard. Its quiet and beautiful, I really cherish this time that I have to myself, its a great start to the day! Have been doing this for only two weeks now. Earlier it would always be a mad rush to get out the door. Not so anymore!
  
• Call at least one person in my family every weekend. That way I keep in touch regularly, and am totally guilt-free (how many of you get sent on the guilt-trip by your parents that you don't call them enough? Now I can say, well, wait your turn, its didi's turn this weekend!)
  

What are your stress-busters?