Just hours ago, Amazon started it’s once-a-year sale for Prime Members, where special discounts are offered on products and subscriptions on everyone’s favorite online store.
Last year, I took advantage of the savings to test out their Audible service, a monthly fee that not only gives you a free credit to use on any audio book (even if the cost of the book is higher than the monthly fee), but you also get an additional discount on audios and access to special sales events throughout the year.
Listening to all kinds of audio books while I took my fur babies out on their morning made it much more pleasant for me to stand there while they slowly sniffed every square inch of two blocks, and it also allowed me to have a morning pep talk from whatever book I was reading. It even encouraged me to exercise– something this asthmatic chick has always detested. Seriously.
So here are my top picks…
Note: You need to be an Amazon Prime Member to get access to these great deals. If you aren’t, no worries! Amazon has a 30-day free trial where you can try things out. If you are a student, there’s a special Amazon Prime offer just for you.
Top Amazon Products that Will Lower Your Stress Level
- Amazon Prime: Let’s start with the obvious here, but if you don’t have an Amazon Prime account, just get one now, OK? You know that I’m frugal, and I hesitated on joining Prime for several years. But I haven’t questionned that decision since I joined. Free two-day shipping is always a plus for gifts, or even for things I just don’t want to have to go into a store to purchase when I’d rather be at home in my pajamas sewing.
- Multivitamins: I preach this one a lot, but vitamins are a key to sanity. Not only can they add nutrients to your diet, but those B and D vitamins can also help boost your physical energy levels and improve your mood. If only your teachers had gotten the memo than D’s were good for you!
- Instant Pot: If you are the only human left in North America who doesn’t own an Instant Pot, please do yourself a favor and order one right now! As someone who cooks breakfast and dinner for her fur children, I can’t emphasize how much time this has saved me, not to mention I never boil over oatmeal and rice on top of the stove anymore. It makes cooking healthy meals faster and easier.
- If you already own an Instant Pot, do yourself a favor and grab another sealing ring so you can soak one in a sink full of vinegar and water to remove the cooked in smell while you use another to make dinner.
- Or get a nifty silicone lid. Save the environment and stop having to keep clear plastic wrap hanging around for those days when you haven’t washed all of the storage containers. You’ll be glad later when you don’t have to rummage for a plastic lid that fits!
- You could even grab a clear glass lid so you can peak inside to see if your food is done without losing all of the heat for those times you aren’t using the pressure setting.
- And for the ultimate splurge, just get another stainless steel innner cooking pot so you don’t have to cook something and immediately wash out the pot to cook the next thing on your list. (Prepping food for the week ahead will be even easier with an extra pot.)
- Combination Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm: I’m still traumatized from This Is Us and I make sure my Instant Pot and Kitchen Aid mixer are unplugged all of the time (even though I know it’s just a TV show). But it has made me much more safety conscious. So grab a couple of these at a good price and place them strategically around your home. Both of us will sleep better at night.
- External Hard drives: Have you ever had a computer crash? Or worse, had it stolen? As frustrating as those things are, the worst part is losing your photos. Never lose your precious family memories when you back up your images on an external hard drive.
- Keychain Pepper Spray and Personal Alarm Safety Kit: When it comes to issues of safety, I don’t mess around. If you have to park a long distance from work, if you go into or leave work in the dark, if you have a daughter or niece going away to college, this is a great gift for them.
- Audible: Of course I’m going to mention Audible! I barely go a day without listening to it. And when you use this link, you can get 66% off for three months! With your monthly subscription, you get a free audio credit to use on anything in the Audible library, and discounts on audio version of any book that you purchase from Amazon, be it hard cover, paper back, or a Kindel version. Here are some of my favorite listens that I recommend to my therapy clients all of the time. They are sure to lower your stress (feel free to grab the book versions instead if you don’t like audio):
- Love Sense by Sue Johnson: This is one of my favorite books of all time. It talks about love and how it impacts our bodies and emotions, and gives some fascinating facts about how having our partners literally by our side or holding our hands makes everything better.
- Hold Me Tight by Sue Johnson: Another favorite that I recommend to couples, this book walks couples through seven conversations to have with each other to help strengthen their connection to each other.
- The 5 Second Rule by Mel Robbins: This was the most popular audio book on Amazon last year, and for good reason. If you are working to overcome anxiety, depression, addiction, or procrastination, this book is a great motivator to help you countdown and take the right action to move you forward. Note: she is not a clinician, but a coach who is inspires.
- Your 3 Best Superpowers: Meditation, Imagination, and Intuition by Sonia Choquette: I just finished this one a week ago, and it was solid! With a calming voice, Sonia walks you through simple exercises to help you mediatate with ease and teaches you about trusting yourself. It’s a great listen and is wonderful for anyone who is ready to stop feeling on edge in life.
- Presence: Bringing Your Boldest Self to Your Biggest Challenges by Amy Cuddy: Have you heard the TED talk about posing like a superhero helps to boost your confidence? Well, this is the person behind that research, and this book is uplifting and such a self-esteem booster!
- The Year of Living Danishly by Helen Russell: The Danish people are noted for being the happiest in the world- despite their harsh winters. Get carried away with a British voice and learn some fascinating insights on how to live happier (yes, I have tested out many of these and it’s been fun).
I will keep checking in and updating this list, but these are my favorite tried-and-true items to help lower my own stress. I hope these help you!
