What do you do to decompress?

SGT Joseph Gunderson — Tue, 21 Sep 2021 01:15:10 -0400

There are two levels to this question:
1) If given a week, what do you do to relax and recharge?
2) If something is stressful during the day--at work or what have you--what do you do to calm down quickly?

Response by PFC Andrew "Tommy" M. made Sep 21 at 2021 1:38 AM

PFC Andrew "Tommy" M. — Tue, 21 Sep 2021 01:38:22 -0400

#1 , I like to go for M/C ride, hang out with my dog, or visit some friends and maybe go out for a few drinks and people watch.
#2 , I work for myself so I do have it easier then some in the fact I can just step back and take a break to clear the mind. In some cases I may even just take the rest of the day.

Response by SFC Casey O'Mally made Sep 21 at 2021 6:11 AM

SFC Casey O'Mally — Tue, 21 Sep 2021 06:11:58 -0400

Work.

I am one of those folks who get more stressed by "relaxing."

When I am on vacation, I am thinking about what needs to be done at work / what I forgot to do before leaving / the work that will have piled up, etc.

When I have a stressful situation, the best thing for me to do is find a solution.

It makes me a miserable person to be around, and just a miserable person. But it is what works for me.

Response by CPT Lawrence Cable made Sep 21 at 2021 8:08 AM

CPT Lawrence Cable — Tue, 21 Sep 2021 08:08:31 -0400

I like to relax throwing myself over waterfalls.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 21 at 2021 10:12 AM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 21 Sep 2021 10:12:38 -0400

1. Spend time outside.. doing really anything, so long as it is outside. I really enjoy yard work as a DE stressor overall.
2. Everyday, knowing that my job is high stress, I start out at 5:00am in the gym. I go stupid hard every morning to set the tone and pace for the day. Makes me feel like I accomplished a lot before the day even starts.

Response by CAPT Kevin B. made Sep 21 at 2021 11:05 AM

CAPT Kevin B. — Tue, 21 Sep 2021 11:05:40 -0400

Shooting was (still is) my relief. I used to shoot with the PACFLT folk. To be any good, you had to solely focus on that, hence push the crapola aside. Bad day at work? Hit the reloading bench. Cast bullets too. Once the initial relief was attained, then I'd move onto other activities I enjoyed. I started out with 900 pounds of diesel sub battery table lead and wheel weights when I was 18. Now I'm down to 200 pounds. Recycling lead one bullet at a time works for me.

Response by Cpl Vic Burk made Sep 21 at 2021 7:44 PM

Cpl Vic Burk — Tue, 21 Sep 2021 19:44:44 -0400

SGT Joseph Gunderson If I had a week I would go hiking - alone - in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Alone is out of the question as far as my wife is concerned due to health concerns. It doesn't really bother me though, when my time comes, it comes and I hope when it does it is fast and I am doing something I enjoy.

Daily - There is a lot of stress teaching high school mathematics so I usually tell my class a joke or some goofy story of when I was in high school or the Marines. They laugh and that helps me laugh also and relieve some of the stress.

Response by CPL Douglas Chrysler made Sep 21 at 2021 9:40 PM

CPL Douglas Chrysler — Tue, 21 Sep 2021 21:40:49 -0400

I read and respond to Rally Point.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 22 at 2021 6:53 AM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 22 Sep 2021 06:53:37 -0400

Take a long cruise in our small boat with my better half. :)

Response by Cpl James R. " Jim" Gossett Jr made Sep 22 at 2021 12:48 PM

Cpl James R. " Jim" Gossett Jr — Wed, 22 Sep 2021 12:48:59 -0400

Continue my Prosaic...

Response by SPC Lyle Montgomery made Oct 7 at 2021 4:33 PM

SPC Lyle Montgomery — Thu, 07 Oct 2021 16:33:50 -0400

Go fishing. Leave the cell phone off, carry it for emergencys only

Response by Maj John Bell made Oct 8 at 2021 9:07 AM

Maj John Bell — Fri, 08 Oct 2021 09:07:26 -0400

I have been blessed to find hobbies that became revenue streams. So, given a week, what would I do to relax and recharge? I'd just keep doing what I do.

When something stressful happens (read pisses me off), my go to chore is to go into the woods with my chainsaw and bring home a cord of firewood. Because ANY day in the woods by myself beats 95% of anything else there is.