There’s no better way to express your creativity than by taking on an art project. While small drawings or other crafts done in your spare time are a good way to put the creative part of your brain to use, nothing lets you flex your artistic muscles more than a project you can really get involved with.

Some people, however, get anxious or restless for one reason or another before they start working. If this sounds like you, don’t worry; here’s a list of things you can do to help you chill out before you work on your next artistic masterpiece.

1. Try Doing Yoga or Meditation

While yoga may not seem like much, it’s a wonderfully beneficial practice. It’s been practiced for several millennia, as evidenced by historic texts discovered in India, where the practice originated.

Yoga helps your body release mood-boosting endorphins, positively influencing your reaction to stress. Furthermore, since it’s a physical activity, it can help burn off some energy and improve your mood, making it easier to relax.

Pairing meditation with yoga can reduce stress further and improve your attention span, which helps you comfortably work on something for an extended time.

2. Listen to a Relaxing Playlist

Why not relax with a different kind of art? Soft, soothing music has been shown to have psychological benefits.

It’s easier to relax when you can concentrate, and soothing music helps by activating both sides of your brain. When you’ve got a nice, calm song that you really like, the joy you’ll feel will make focusing on just the music and your project a piece of cake.

Slower music also affects heart rate; you’ll relax when your heart is relaxed, too.

If you don’t necessarily want to listen to music but you do prefer to create a relaxing soundscape, then bringing it into the physical world can sometimes be more effective than hearing it through your speakers or earphones. For instance, some people use tools like Crystal Tones singing bowls to engage more physically with those relaxing sounds, helping to center and bring themselves more bodily into the moment.

3. Use CBD Products

In recent years, CBD products like oils and edibles have proven popular with people looking to boost their focus or wind down without any high-inducing THC.

CBD helps you calm down by affecting the CB1 receptors in your endocannabinoid system. When stimulated, these receptors regulate your neurotransmitters’ activity, helping you control your energy and anxiety and resulting in overall relaxation.

In addition, for some, CBD can help provide a mental boost. For you, this could mean increased creativity, an easier time planning your project, and an improved ability to focus on it.

4. Take a Quick Walk

If you can’t sit still, get that movement you want with a short walk outside! While stepping away from your workspace might seem counterintuitive, science backs it up as good for relaxation.

Walking, like any physical activity, helps get your blood pumping, which delivers oxygen to the brain. In turn, this helps reduce stress levels and anxiety. Plus, just like yoga, it can help burn off excess energy that’s got you restless.

As a bonus, walking can give you the space and time you need to think your project through so that when you come back inside, you’re not fidgeting around from the stress of not knowing what you want to make.

5. Get Something to Drink

Sometimes, the culprit behind restlessness and antsy-ness is low blood sugar. When you haven’t eaten or drank anything in a while, your blood sugar gradually drops, which can cause anxiety, irritability, and stress, all of which can make it hard to chill out. But of course there’s so many different drinks to choose from (rather than standard soda or juice) for example you can look into cannabis beverages, teas (like chamomile), and others may enjoy a glass of wine instead. It’s really up to you and what you think works for winding down.

If you’re not hungry but are feeling a little stressed, drinks like healthy juices, smoothies, or teas can help bring your blood sugar back up and calm you down.

6. Spend a Few Minutes Doing Nothing

Sometimes, the best thing to help you relax is simply sitting down and doing nothing for a while! Taking some time without a task to focus on or anything that fills your thoughts can do a body good. Think of it as a way to decompress.

Ultimately, the best course of action is to do whatever you think will help you relax most. You might even try doing multiple things to help calm down and de-stress to maximize the effect! If you can’t relax at first, don’t sweat it; take a break, do something else, and then try different methods until you find something that works and gets you in the mood to create your next work of art!