Tuna Salad Stuffed Tomatoes and Couscous Salad

First of all, I apologize for the hiatus.  There has been some stress in my life that has made time for blogging scarce.  That is hardly an excuse, I know, because well... when isn't there stress in one's life?  But I have to say, the past couple weeks have certainly taken the cake for this year so far.  I won't get into the details, but my job was at stake, and there was a brief period where I was sure I would have to look for another one.  All is resolved and I do not have to look for another job, thank goodness, but I found it hard to be productive when all that was going on as well.

How do you deal with stress?  I find that I do any one of a number of things, which are both productive and counterproductive.

1. I get irritable.  Now I am normally a pretty easygoing person, but when I feel overwhelmed, the people living with me know it.  I try not to take things out on people, but it's hard not to let a little spilt milk bother you when you already have so many pots boiling over on the back burners.

2. I take baths.  Even without the bubbles, sometimes it's very therapeutic to allow your muscles to relax while they soak in hot water.

3. I drink.  I'm not proud of this, but occasionally I do find solace in a bottle of 2/$10 Flip Flop Chardonnay and a bag of Doritos.

4. I cry.  This may seem counterproductive, but it's one of the easiest and most cathartic ways to let out your emotions.  Holding it in is never the answer.

5. I treat myself to things.  Like food.  And... well, mostly food.  But I don't overdo it.  Usually, it's small amounts of chocolate, or sushi, or a nice meal out.  Fast food does not bring me joy like it used to.  It's gotta be good food.

I probably did all five of these things during the past two weeks.  Another thing I did was let myself not be productive.  I knew I was too distracted to get much done, so I allowed myself to relax and have a week where I mostly watched movies and ate.  It really helped to decide to slack off for a little while, without the pressure of a to-do list looming overhead.

So for the next time I get stressed out (and I'm sure there will be a next time eventually), what are your best recommendations for de-stressing?  What works for you?