The most important thing every prepper knows to do when a collapse occurs is to stay calm. This means not only knowing where your supplies are but taking some time to do something relaxing and unwind during this stressful time. It helps you and your family remember that everything is going to be okay so that no one panics. Here are ten fun ways to relax even during a crisis situation.

Ten Things You Can Do To Stay Calm During A Disruptive Event Include:

Stick your nose in the coffee pot. Coffee usually gets a bad rap, since the caffeine can cause stress for some people, but simply smelling freshly brewed coffee or warm coffee grounds can reduce stress. I switched to a French press a while back and will never again use a traditional coffee maker.  If you’re worried how you’ll make coffee in a power outage, you need one, too!

Read. There is something very stressful and anxiety-triggering about being in front of a screen 24/7, and it is not good for your brain to be constantly switching from app to app, or scrolling through a dozen pictures at a time. Reading requires focus, and patience, and helps your mind to center itself after being stretched a thousand different ways.
Color.   A good quality coloring book and some fancy Prismacolor colored markers and pencils, and you’re groovy. Our set has 48 colors, which is plenty for providing intense, blendable color.Many adults, both men and women, are enjoying the revival of this old-time hobby from their childhoods.
Drink some tea. Rose tea, chamomile tea, passionflower, or kava kava are all natural, caffeine free, soothing beverages that are perfect for bedtime or an afternoon chill session. For me, there’s nothing like sitting in a cozy corner of the couch with a cup of hot tea, slightly sweetened, and then finished off with just a tablespoon or two of heavy cream or almond milk. If you’re not into tea, just drink plenty of water, keeping your body hydrated and flushing out toxins.
Go for a run. Put on some tennis shoes and pop outside to soak up some vitamin C and get your heart working. Many studies have shown that physical exercise of any sort can boost your mood. It also requires focus and mental discipline.
Clean up.  After a stressful day, it might finally be time to do that. Working with your hands, sorting, and seeing a tidy end result is rewarding and therapeutic.

Pick up a handicraft. Knitting, embroidery, whittling, you name it, just choose something that you enjoy, then plop into your comfiest chair and take your sweet time on it. Repetitive motion helps calm nerves.
Pet your dog. Or your guinea pig. Or your cat, if she’ll let you. You don’t really need a study to be done to know that cuddling your furbaby, while whispering sweet nothings in their floppy ears as you rub their noggins, can just make everything magically okay in your life.
Journal. Did you know that people who journal regularly actually live longer than people who don’t? Sit down during either breakfast or dinner and write about anything upsetting you or that you’re excited about.

Play. What?? First coloring, now playing? Yes! Some purposeless but fun and silly activity that you used to do as a kid, whether it’s tag, hide-n-seek, homemade play-dough, or finger painting. It’s a great way to unwind, and laughter is the best medicine.

Taking time out to do some of these activities when the SHTF may seem silly or even like a waste of valuable time, but even if you are as prepared as you can, doing these and other things that you enjoy will help you and everyone to stay calm instead of going crazy.

It may even help you and your family to keep a sense of normalcy even when the world around seems to be in total chaos. It is important to allow yourself time to relax because it is just  crucial for your sanity and your survival during a crisis.

To find out more ways you can keep you and your family calm during an emergency, please visit The Survival Mom.