Life doesn’t have to be perfect to be stress-free. Let go and get some calm back into your life with these tips.

De-stress in 10 minutes

Breathe. When I’m stressed I start taking shallow breaths that leave my heart fluttering and my pulse rising. I’ve had a lot of success practicing the breathing techniques I have learned in yoga. No matter where you are, you can reset by breathing in for a count of four and out for eight. Close your eyes and focus on your breathing until the tightness in your chest loosens and you’re ready to go back to your day.

Drink (a cup of tea). There’s something inherently calming about sipping a steaming cup of tea. If you can, try to just sit and drink your tea without rushing off to answer emails, play with your phone, or tackling your to-do list.

Move. Take a short walk, spend a few minutes in your favorite yoga pose, or plan your evening workout. Exercise has long been touted as a cure for stress. Get a quick hit with a little bit of movement (even if you don’t have time for a full workout).

Tidy. Spend 5 minutes picking up your workspace. Once you have everything, spend the next 5 putting it all away. You’ll feel better when your space is clear of the visual clutter, and you can focus on what’s important. (This is by far my favorite trick. You can set a timer if you are worried you will turn it into a full floor to ceiling procrastination-induced scrub down).

Delete. Clear out as many emails as you can. Just like your workspace, having a clear inbox can do wonders for your ability to relax and get stuff done.

Plan. Make plans for the weekend. It’s a nice reminder that this feeling is only temporary. Something to look forward to helps me get over paralysis and dive into what still has be done.

Wash. Clean out all of the dishes in the sink. Not only will have a clean kitchen, but cleaning gives your mind space to wonder and a hit of instant gratification for a job well done.

Grateful. Make a gratitude list. Take a minute or two to jot down what you are thankful for. The more specific and the longer the list, the better.

Re-assess. Is it really that important? Do you have to get it all done right now? More often than not the things I’m stressed about don’t really matter. It’s not actually do or die.

Prioritize. Nothing clears my mind like a precise plan of attack. Write out all of the things you have to do and rank them in order of importance. Even if you only get the most important thing done, you will feel better.

Embrace. Life is chaotic. Things never go according to plan. Of course there is extra traffic when you’re late. You will drop your toast down your nice shirt. Your boss always needs just one more thing.

Things happen. It’s all okay. Just let it happen. Let it go. Embrace it. It’s all temporary and you will feel more in control when you stop fighting all of the things you have no power over.