3 free ways to feel better right now
Feeling even more stressed than usual? Try any or all of these calm-down ideas.
This might be the day that finally gets you to try meditating. Fortunately, there are lots of free tools at your disposal.
Sigh. Rough day. I can't muster my usual enthusiasm for wireless earbuds, cheap TVs and the like. And because I can't give each and every one of you the big hug I'd like to, I'll instead offer some ideas for chasing away the stress we're all feeling.
1. Take a brisk walk. This is the single best way I can think of to clear your head, boost your mood and just forget all this madness for a bit. If it's cold out, bundle up. If you don't have any lovely nature to look at, listen to some music or a podcast. (Maybe this one?) The key is to get those legs moving and arms swinging, to get your heart rate up just a bit -- and keep it up for at least 30 minutes.
Read more: 6 totally free ways to improve your health in 2021
2. Play a free computer game. Put your phone in another room (so you'll stop doom-scrolling) and settle into a rich, in-depth tactical strategy game that requires full mental focus. This week, Epic Games is giving away Crying Suns, which would normally cost you $25. (And here's something to look forward to: Next week you can get Star Wars Battlefront II: Celebration Edition, also totally free.)
If strategy isn't your cup of tea, scroll down that page a bit; Epic has lots of other free games to choose from.
3. Finally try meditating. Seriously, it can help. The purpose is to quiet, if only for a few minutes, your stressed-out monkey brain, a particularly difficult task right now. There are tons of meditation apps; you've probably heard of Calm, Headspace, Insight Timer and Ten Percent Happier, to name just a few. Most offer a smattering of free meditations to get you started. For a totally free experience, check out Smiling Mind. You can also find lots of free meditation videos on YouTube.
And that's it for today. Stay safe, everyone, and remember what my mom always says: This too shall pass.
CNET's Cheapskate scours the web for great deals on tech products and much more. For the latest deals and updates, follow him on Facebook and Twitter. You can also sign up for deal texts delivered right to your phone. Find more great buys on the CNET Deals page and check out our CNET Coupons page for the latest Walmart discount codes, eBay coupons, Samsung promo codes and even more from hundreds of other online stores. Questions about the Cheapskate blog? Answers live on our FAQ page.