Life is hard, and sometimes we want to drown our hardships in the tunes of Adele. Since that’s usually not an option, we have to keep going and kick our butts into high gear. This can be hard to do when the stress is piling up!

While I am attempting to handle my own stress, I took some time out of my crazy life to compile five things that can you manage your stress.

1. Stretch. I know this sounds weird but getting a good stretch in before starting anything like school work or talking to a big crowd can loosen those stressed muscles. You don’t have to be Mr. Fantastic from “Fantastic 4” but try to take 10–20 minutes out of the day to do those basic arm stretches that you hated in junior high. Here is a quick video to help you with your stretching game.

2. Get a GODDAMN planner. It’s the hardest thing to do and the easiest thing to do. A planner is God’s way of saying don’t fuck yourself over. Once you get into the habit of writing it’s an amazing feeling, almost like you’re flying first class (which I’ve never done, but just know it’s an amazing feeling). The thing that might set you back and is the most difficult part is keeping it current. But once you start doing this as a habit, it’s smooth sailing.

3. Breathe. Breathing is something that we don’t focus on but it is a great way to relieve stress. For some reason when shit hits the fan the first thing you’re told to do is to take deep breaths, and it works!

There are also multiple apps for breathing and meditation. I am currently using Headspace and it’s made me feel more calm…like Gandhi.

4. Music! Listening to music is an amazing stress reliever. If you want to rock out to your own jams, put on some headphones. Or grab some friends and have a dance party! Try to remake the dance for “Bye, Bye, Bye” by N’sync. Or put on some Stevie Wonder and put on a show in the bathroom. The best thing about music is that no matter what you listen to, your mind will focus on the beat, tempo and lyrics opposed to concentrating on stress.

5. Give yourself some love. Cheesy, but true. Self-love is the most important de-stressor. Whether that means buying a donut, going to see a movie, smoking a blunt or buying a whole bottle of wine and drinking it (guilty), it’s okay to give yourself some TLC. Look at yourself in the mirror and give yourself a positive compliment (It’s hard, trust) but by doing this you are building your confidence. And confidence is a sexy thing.