Ten Everyday Stress Busters and Simple Distraction Techniques: What NHS inform Suggests for Feeling More in Control (Scotland)

Stress rarely has a single cause, and NHS inform, Scotland’s national health information service, says the first step in dealing with it is to identify the cause. Its page on ten stress busters, sourced from Public Health Scotland and last updated on 16 March 2026, gathers everyday habits that help people start to take control, and a companion page covers distraction techniques. This guide summarises both. They are general self-care suggestions from a Scottish source, not treatment, and anyone who feels unable to cope should speak to a GP or other health professional.

Stress busters 1 to 4: move, connect, pause, swap habits

Be active. NHS inform says being active will not make stress disappear but can help reduce some of the intense emotions and clear your thoughts, helping you deal with problems more calmly. It says activities combining breathing exercises and movement, such as yoga, are particularly helpful.

Connect with people. A good support network means having people to turn to. NHS inform suggests talking to colleagues, friends and family, trying a new activity or support group to meet new people, and arranging time to relax with people you are close to, such as a coffee or a shared activity, as a good distraction and stress reliever.

Have some ‘me time’. It suggests setting aside a couple of nights a week for exercise, socialising and relaxation, which can make you less likely to work overtime or plan something demanding. Me time can be as simple as a bath or time in the garden or a local park.

Avoid unhealthy habits. NHS inform says not to rely on alcohol, smoking and caffeine to cope, because they may offer temporary relief but will not make problems disappear. It suggests replacing them with walks, dancing to music or making something healthy to eat when you need a break.

Stress busters 5 to 7: perspective, helping others, goals

Try to be positive. Looking for the positives and things to be grateful for can help put stress in perspective. NHS inform gives the example of writing down three things that went well in the day or three things you are grateful for.

Help other people. Helping others can help you become more resilient and positive, through volunteer or community work or by doing someone a favour now and then, such as bringing a cake to work or supporting a charity fundraiser.

Set goals or challenges. NHS inform says goals and challenges help build confidence, and suggests goals at work or outside it, such as learning a language or taking up a new sport. By continuing to learn, it says, you become more emotionally resilient.

Stress busters 8 to 10: priorities, control, acceptance

Work smarter, not harder. This means prioritising tasks, concentrating on the things that make a real difference and leaving less important tasks to last. NHS inform also says you may have to accept that the to-do list will not be finished by the end of the day, as long as the most important tasks are done well.

Take control. NHS inform says that remaining passive and thinking “I can’t do anything about my problem” makes stress worse, and that a feeling of loss of control is one of the main causes of stress. Taking control is described as empowering. It points to a problem-solving self-help guide for tackling one challenge at a time.

Accept the things you can’t change. Because changing a difficult situation is not always possible, NHS inform suggests concentrating on the things you do have control over. It points to mindfulness and relaxation techniques that can help with acceptance.

Distraction techniques

A separate NHS inform page, last updated on 9 December 2025, describes distraction techniques for moments of anxiety or stress. It says it can help to focus on what is going on around you instead of what is going on inside your body. Suggested techniques are:

• counting backwards from 100 in threes;
• listening to music;
• counting all the red objects you can see;
• repeating the words of a song in your head or out loud; and
• doing something you enjoy that needs focus, such as knitting, sewing, reading or watching a TV show.

If you can, it suggests going outside to sit or walk and focusing on the world around you, noticing the air on your face, the ground under your feet and the sounds. Another technique is to picture something or someone that makes you feel happy and relaxed, such as your favourite place with your favourite person or pet.

Putting it to use

Other site guides cover several of these ideas in more depth, including moving for your mood, connecting with others and time management. Picking one or two stress busters and one distraction technique, rather than all at once, makes the list easier to try.

FAQs

Is this advice only for people in Scotland?

NHS inform is Scotland’s health information service, but the suggestions are general self-care ideas that anyone can read.

Does being active remove stress?

NHS inform says being active will not make stress disappear, but it can help reduce intense emotions and clear your thoughts.

Which distraction technique is the simplest?

NHS inform lists counting backwards from 100 in threes or counting red objects you can see among its suggestions.

The bottom line

NHS inform’s ten stress busters range from moving more and keeping in touch with people to prioritising tasks and accepting what cannot be changed, and its distraction techniques offer quick ways to shift attention outward. They are everyday self-care ideas, not treatment, and one or two at a time is plenty. Anyone finding that stress is overwhelming should speak to a GP or other health professional.

Sources

• 10 stress busters (nhsinform.scot)
• Distraction techniques (nhsinform.scot)