While the idea of “wellness” today has been misconstrued with consumerism and immediate gratification, the true roots of the world date back to the 1970s, when “wellness” was a practice meant to cope with the daily grind of life. The smart ways people handled stress in the 1970s that modern generations won’t even try were practices meant to change themselves, not the world around them — a means to cope with the ever-evolving, shifting world around them through mindfulness, personal joy, and growth.
Today, most people lean into immediate escapism and avoidance when they’re struggling with stress, especially in our hyper-productive world, rather than intentionality and mindfulness. They try to outrun their invisible feelings of unwellness and strain, rather than providing space to cope and deal with them in the moment.
Here are 10 smart ways people handled stress in the 1970s that modern generations won’t even try1. Doing crossword puzzles
Research shows that people who regularly do crossword puzzles often experience a number of cognitive benefits, especially for people with cognitive impairment later in life. On the surface, they’re a way to slow down, disconnect from a screen, and appreciate mindfulness, and on a deeper level, they encourage critical thinking, emotional regulation, and resilience.
That’s why they’re one of the smart ways people handled stress in the 1970s that modern generations won’t even try. Either they’re not getting a physical newspaper, or they’d prefer more convenient, less time-consuming games on their phones.
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2. Going for long, aimless walks
According to a study from Frontiers in Psychology, just 20 minutes of nature time or going for a walk can drastically reduce stress amid the chaos of everyday life. That’s why going for a long, aimless walk outside is one of the smart ways people handled stress in the 1970s that modern generations won’t even try — for the most part. They lean on their cell phones for distractions and mindless entertainment to self-soothe, even if their bodies are really just yearning for fresh air and natural light.
While a similar resurgence of this practice is coming back in the form of “hot girl walks” and running culture, many modern people today have a destination. They’re tracking their steps with apps like Strava, walking to a coffee shop, or following Apple Maps around their town, when the true ethereal nature of a 70s de-stress walk outside revolves around having no direction or destination.
3. Taking a nap
In our hustle culture today that places a serious emphasis on constant productivity, it’s not surprising that many people struggle with guilt when it comes to taking breaks. They feel the need to be productive all the time, even if their avoidance of rest or breaks sabotages their energy and focus.
However, taking a nap or going to bed a bit earlier are some of the smart ways people handled stress in the 1970s without guilt. If they had a hard day or felt fatigued, they made space for rest, without grappling with the guilt of societal expectations to be constantly “doing.” Of course, our brains are also naturally wired toward idleness, so fighting back with avoidance only pushes us closer to burnout and emotional turmoil.
4. Letting emotions pass
The happy medium between suppressing complex emotions and overthinking them entirely is to simply acknowledge them and let them pass. For many people, letting their emotions pass by was second nature, especially in the 70s when mental health and therapy speak weren’t commonly embraced in conversations.
There was an appreciation of fleetingness for emotions that some people miss out on today. They take their emotions as fact and dive deeply into them intellectually, when really, their stress levels would benefit from simply letting them be.
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5. Taking a sick day
While the stigma around taking sick time today is often self-imposed, there’s no ignoring the fact that employers and companies are reducing the amount of appreciation for personal time they offer to their employees. From making the approval for time off impossible to navigate and expecting constant availability during sick time, taking a break with time off is much more challenging in the modern world.
That’s why taking time off is one of the smart ways people handled stress in the 1970s that modern generations won’t even try. Our careers and income have become so much more ingrained in our mental health and well-being today that even time off can feel disillusioning.
6. Reading the newspaper
According to a 2022 study, reading for fun can often reduce psychological distress and emotional turmoil in the average person, especially if their educational routine or job forces them to read a lot of rigid things. The choice to pick up a newspaper or a physical book and mindfully read it is powerful, which is why it’s also one of the smart ways people handled stress in the 1970s that modern generations won’t even try.
Most younger generations today are reading less all around, both in school and in their personal lives. They’re leaning on the convenience of technology and AI, missing out on the stress-relieving nature of physical reading habits.
7. Spending time with family
While spending time with family and appreciating family values is still present in today’s culture and among younger generations, there’s no denying that it has experienced a shift since the 70s and 80s. Having a family dinner or spending time with family are some of the smart ways people handled stress in the 1970s, while young people today may actively avoid it to cope.
Even if it’s just a small meal at the end of the day, this kind of family time relieves stress, boosts relationship well-being, and prompts better mental health outcomes for everyone involved.
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8. Listening to full albums without skipping songs
While music accessibility on a cell phone today allows people to jump around, skip songs, and put a lot of energy into curating their playlists, listening to a full album without skipping or changing it is something that people did often in the 1970s to relieve stress, even if it wasn’t a conscious choice.
They put the record on or the tape in and listen to an entire album completely through. While it might have been annoying at the time, the predictability and lack of stress about finding the “perfect vibe” was grounding.
9. Appreciating boredom
Even though we’ve largely demonized boredom and idleness in our society today, appreciating and leaning into it was one of the smart ways people handled stress in the 1970s that modern generations won’t even try. Today, we’re always trying to fill our time, whether it’s with another full-time job, a side hustle, or a hobby.
However, appreciating boredom looked very different just a few decades ago. Not only were people able to relieve their stress from sitting and doing nothing, with no distractions or screens, but they also sought out this alone time.
10. Driving around aimlessly
Mindfulness is a relatively modern term associated with wellness, but when adults were driving around aimlessly and taking long walks to cope with stress, it’s exactly what they were making time for. They drove around to keep themselves busy physically, but internally, they had a chance to slow down, acknowledge their feelings, and relieve their stress.
Even if “slowing down” isn’t in your vocabulary today, it’s important to craft a comfort level with it. It’s rest, slowness, and idle alone time that encourages our minds to unwind stress patterns, not avoidance and overworking ourselves.
Zayda Slabbekoorn is a senior editorial strategist with a bachelor’s degree in social relations & policy and gender studies who focuses on psychology, relationships, self-help, and human interest stories.
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