{"id":851,"date":"2025-04-16T19:42:37","date_gmt":"2025-04-16T19:42:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/chicagoboatcompany.com\/blog\/?p=851"},"modified":"2025-04-16T19:42:38","modified_gmt":"2025-04-16T19:42:38","slug":"stressed-out-heres-one-simple-way-to-feel-better-this-april","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/chicagoboatcompany.com\/blog\/stressed-out-heres-one-simple-way-to-feel-better-this-april\/","title":{"rendered":"Stressed Out? Here\u2019s One Simple Way to Feel Better This April"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Find Joy by Easing Anxiety Outdoors<\/strong><\/p>\n

In today\u2019s fast-paced world, it\u2019s no surprise that stress and anxiety are on the rise. With constant news alerts, financial worries, and the pressure to keep up, many people are feeling stretched thin. That\u2019s why April\u2014Stress Awareness Month<\/strong>\u2014is an important reminder to pause, reflect, and prioritize our mental well-being.<\/p>\n

How Stressed Are We in 2025?<\/h3>\n

Recent studies show that 7 in 10 Americans report feeling stressed or anxious on a daily basis<\/strong>. According to the American Institute of Stress<\/strong>, nearly 55% of adults<\/strong> say they experience high levels of daily stress, with younger generations\u2014especially Millennials and Gen Z\u2014feeling the brunt of burnout. Social media, job insecurity, and global uncertainty continue to weigh heavily on our mental health.<\/p>\n

The Power of Presence and Connection<\/h3>\n

So how do we combat this? One of the most powerful antidotes to anxiety is joy\u2014and joy thrives in connection.<\/strong> Taking time to unplug and be present with the people we care about can make a huge difference in our stress levels. Studies have shown that spending time outdoors, near water, or simply in the sunshine can naturally lower cortisol (our stress hormone), ease muscle tension, and improve mood.<\/p>\n

Why Being on the Water Works<\/h3>\n

There\u2019s something undeniably calming about being on a boat. The gentle movement, the open air, and the scenic views all help create an environment where people can relax, laugh, and reset. Whether it\u2019s a slow cruise down the Chicago River, catching golden hour with friends, or simply floating with your favorite playlist, boating offers a peaceful escape from the noise of everyday life.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Simple Ways to De-Stress This Month<\/h3>\n

If you\u2019re looking for ways to manage stress this April, try:<\/p>\n

    \n
  • \n

    Stepping outside for a walk<\/strong> (even 10 minutes helps!)<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

  • \n

    Journaling or meditating<\/strong> at the start of your day<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

  • \n

    Unplugging from social media<\/strong> for a few hours<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

  • \n

    Spending quality time with friends or family<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/li>\n

  • \n

    Planning a boat day<\/strong> to get on the water and off the grid<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    Find Joy This Season<\/h3>\n

    At Chicago Boat Company<\/strong>, we believe that joy is found in the little things<\/strong>\u2014and sometimes those little things include fresh air, your favorite people, and a gentle ride on the river. As we embrace our Year of Joy<\/strong> campaign, we\u2019re encouraging our community to choose moments that soothe the soul and spark connection.<\/p>\n

    Whether it\u2019s a birthday, a long-overdue catch-up with a friend, or simply a Saturday that needs a little sunshine, we\u2019re here to help you make memories that feel good.<\/p>\n

    Because stress may be part of life\u2014but so is joy. And we\u2019re choosing joy, one cruise at a time.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":856,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[26,5,6,10,147,65,25,142,146,145,143,148,144],"class_list":["post-851","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-boats","tag-chicago-riverwalk","tag-chicago-summer","tag-chicagoland","tag-connection","tag-duffy-boats","tag-eco-friendly","tag-joy","tag-reduce-anxiety","tag-reduce-stress","tag-stress","tag-summer-2025","tag-year-of-joy"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/chicagoboatcompany.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/851","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/chicagoboatcompany.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/chicagoboatcompany.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chicagoboatcompany.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chicagoboatcompany.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=851"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/chicagoboatcompany.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/851\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":858,"href":"https:\/\/chicagoboatcompany.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/851\/revisions\/858"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chicagoboatcompany.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/856"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/chicagoboatcompany.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=851"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chicagoboatcompany.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=851"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chicagoboatcompany.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=851"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}