Everyone experiences stress in different ways—sometimes as physical pain, sometimes as emotional tension, sometimes as an intellectual problem that confounds our efforts to dismiss it from our waking minds. Ideally, every unique problem deserves a custom solution, designed for each individual woman and man. In the spirit of tailor-made solutions, while admitting there is no panacea for the anxiety of modern life, here are 10 of the best ways to reduce stress, ready to wear, right off the rack.  Try one, try several, or use ‘em in rota to keep yourself stress-free and engaged in improving your quality of life.

1. For those for whom doing nothing can be more stressful than doing too much, walk or run the 5k March of Dimes, or participate in some other activity that expends your nervous energy, does something positive for your community, and takes the focus off your own problems.  That knot of stress will be replaced by a warm glow of accomplishment, and you won’t feel the added stress of having felt you have wasted your time.

2. Sometimes there’s nothing as cathartic as a good cry, and as long as you’re weeping for Darryl Hannah and Sally Field à la Steel Magnolias or similar fare, you can let loose the gates of emotion without wallowing in self-pity.  The movie’s not about you, after all. Equipment:  tearjerker of choice, chamomile tea, a ready supply of tissue. Don’t:  invite roommates or significant other.

3. For the cerebral type, get everything down on paper that’s bothering you. Write out your troubles, accusations of bad faith, and negative thoughts to thereby remove them from your attention where they’ve been stuck on an endless repeating cycle. Just don’t forget to address such papers directly to the circular file (trashcan) or paper shredder to keep their bad juju from haunting you.

4. Meditate or practice yoga. Both relax the body and mind by gently directing your focus, and some yoga stretches are designed to ease tense muscles. Yoga Journal is an excellent resource for finding poses and meditations, developing a daily practice, or healthfully altering your lifestyle as a long-term solution to dealing with stress.

5. Get a massage. This works best if you have a talented masseur at hand, natch, but learning a few techniques you can do yourself is a good starting point. Try this simple self massage at the end of a long day.

6. Spend the day away from technology (phone, computer, car).  Seek a place of solitude out of doors and enjoy the natural beauty of your surroundings. Take a picnic. Watch the birds. Swim in the ocean. Leave the complicated world of job and obligation behind you.

7. Give yourself permission to do something just because you feel like doing it, and enjoy the carefree sensation. Wear your Wonder Woman underwear to work under your suit. Play Halo with your brother-in-law (the one who isn’t quite grown up yet).

8. Find someone you can talk to—ideally someone nonjudgmental who is invested in your wellbeing and in a position to offer considered and unbiased advice if needed. If this person does not magically appear in your life, bring your troubles to a close friend whose counsel you value, and don’t forget to reciprocate when they need a listener down the road.

9. For the quickest and cheapest way to relieve stress, simply drink a glass of water.  Water flushes your system stress-inducing toxins, leading to near-immediate relief of at least some of your symptoms. This works particularly well if you are anxious about a particular event (job interview, “it’s not you it’s me” conversation, sample sale) in the near future.

10. Finally, the perennial favorite, have sex. Whether with a partner or solo, sex is a surefire way to reduce stress by releasing chemicals like oxytocin. Stress often negatively affects libido, but giving sex the old college try is guaranteed to make you feel better.