Have you been feeling a little tense lately? You’re not alone. Americans are the most stressed-out people in the world, according to a 2019 Gallup poll. In fact, the American Psychological Association found that 44% of Americans report increased stress in the last five years of their lives.
That means that millions of people in the country are dealing with chronic stress.You could probably guess the three areas of life that are causing Americans the most stress: finances, work, and family matters. We worry so much about how we will make ends meet, meet deadlines at work, and keeping our family happy that we are angrier, more stressed, and worried than we’ve been in a decade. Needless to say, these statistics have got to change!
The best and easiest way to start combatting stress is to prioritize self-care. This buzzword may seem woo-woo or like a waste of time, but studies show that those who practice regular self-care, such as exercising, participating in hobbies, etc., show reduced levels of stress and experience a higher quality of life. Who among us doesn’t want less stress and a higher quality of life?
One easy, simple self-care practice is to squeeze a stress ball. Stress balls can help with attention issues and anxiety, and the good news is that they are super easy to make at home by yourself!
Here’s a quick DIY stress ball tutorial for you so that you can stop stressing and start enjoying your life again:
Supplies needed:
- Balloon
- Funnel
- Water bottle
- Flour or rice
- Black sharpie
- Yarn
- Scissors
Step one
Using the funnel, pour the flour into the water bottle until it’s about halfway full, depending on how large you want your stress ball to be.
Step two
Blow up your balloon to a size you like, but don’t tie it yet! First, put the mouth of the balloon around the mouth of the water bottle and transfer the flour into the balloon. Once the flour is transferred, let any excess air out.
Step three
Tie the balloon. Next, use the Sharpie to draw a nice face on your stress ball.
Step four
Cut up ten or so 4-inch sections of yarn. Tie each section around the knot in your balloon to give your stress ball person a nice hairdo.
And that’s all there is to it! In just a few easy steps, you’ll have a cute, super squishy stress ball that is unique just like you. This DIY is so much fun and so easy to replicate. If you like, make a couple of stress balls and give some to your family members or coworkers. Chances are that they are stressed-out, too, and a little self-care can never hurt!
