The full catalog
Protocols for stress
531 entries pulled from 54 stacks. Default order is consensus: the number of tracked people who have publicly backed each one.
52 entries
Reset- Protocol$$$Cheap: Roughly under $50, or under $15/month.01
Deliberate cold exposure
Cold showers or ice baths used deliberately, usually a few minutes at a time
Backed by 25 of 54 stacks: 19 do it, 0 recommend it, 6 have discussed it - Protocol$$$Mid: Roughly $50 to $500, or up to $50/month.02
Sauna
Regular heat exposure, often 4 sessions a week at 20 minutes
Backed by 17 of 54 stacks: 11 do it, 3 recommend it, 3 have discussed it - Protocol$$$Cheap: Roughly under $50, or under $15/month.03
Yoga
Regular yoga practice for flexibility, strength and a calmer nervous system
Backed by 8 of 54 stacks: 8 do it, 0 recommend it, 0 have discussed it - ProtocolFREE, no cost04
Breathwork
Structured breathing sessions to shift the nervous system up or down
Backed by 6 of 54 stacks: 3 do it, 2 recommend it, 1 have discussed it - Protocol$$$Cheap: Roughly under $50, or under $15/month.05
Running
Regular running, from a short daily loop up to ultramarathon distance
Backed by 5 of 54 stacks: 4 do it, 1 recommend it, 0 have discussed it - Protocol$$$Cheap: Roughly under $50, or under $15/month.06
Swimming
Lap swimming as low-impact cardio and a reset for the head
Backed by 5 of 54 stacks: 5 do it, 0 recommend it, 0 have discussed it - Protocol$$$Cheap: Roughly under $50, or under $15/month.07
Low-cost index fund investing
A broad S&P 500 index fund bought on a schedule, through thick and thin, no stock picking
Backed by 3 of 54 stacks: 2 do it, 1 recommend it, 0 have discussed it - Protocol$$$Mid: Roughly $50 to $500, or up to $50/month.08
Sports massage
Regular hands-on soft-tissue work from a trainer or therapist
Backed by 3 of 54 stacks: 2 do it, 0 recommend it, 1 have discussed it - Protocol$$$Cheap: Roughly under $50, or under $15/month.09
Tennis
Singles or doubles on court, played as a lifelong sport rather than a workout
Backed by 3 of 54 stacks: 3 do it, 0 recommend it, 0 have discussed it - ProtocolFREE, no cost10
Workday shutdown ritual
A fixed end-of-day routine that closes open loops so work stops
Backed by 3 of 54 stacks: 2 do it, 0 recommend it, 1 have discussed it - Protocol$$$Mid: Roughly $50 to $500, or up to $50/month.11
Brazilian jiu-jitsu
Grappling practice used as training, stress relief and humility
Backed by 2 of 54 stacks: 2 do it, 0 recommend it, 0 have discussed it - Protocol$$$Mid: Roughly $50 to $500, or up to $50/month.12
CBT-I (cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia)
A structured sleep program; Matthew Walker and Andrew Huberman both point people to it
Backed by 2 of 54 stacks: 0 do it, 2 recommend it, 0 have discussed it - ProtocolFREE, no cost13
Hiking
Trail walking with elevation, usually an hour or more at a talking pace
Backed by 2 of 54 stacks: 2 do it, 0 recommend it, 0 have discussed it - ProtocolFREE, no cost14
Inner scorecard
Judge yourself by your own standards rather than by how the world grades you
Backed by 2 of 54 stacks: 0 do it, 2 recommend it, 0 have discussed it - ProtocolFREE, no cost15
Non-sleep deep rest (NSDR)
10-20 minute guided body-scan rest, sometimes called yoga nidra
Backed by 2 of 54 stacks: 1 do it, 0 recommend it, 1 have discussed it - ProtocolFREE, no cost16
Physiological sigh
Two inhales through the nose, one long exhale; heart rate drops within seconds
Backed by 2 of 54 stacks: 1 do it, 1 recommend it, 0 have discussed it - Protocol$$$Expensive: Several hundred dollars and up.17
Transcendental Meditation
Silent mantra repetition, about 20 minutes twice a day, taught in a paid course
Backed by 2 of 54 stacks: 2 do it, 0 recommend it, 0 have discussed it - ProtocolFREE, no cost18
Vision setting
Write down a specific picture of who you are becoming, then filter decisions through it
Backed by 2 of 54 stacks: 2 do it, 0 recommend it, 0 have discussed it - ProtocolFREE, no cost19
4-7-8 breathing
Inhale for four counts, hold for seven, exhale for eight, repeated a few times
Backed by 1 of 54 stacks: 1 do it, 0 recommend it, 0 have discussed it - ProtocolFREE, no cost20
5 Second Rule countdown
Count 5-4-3-2-1 out loud and move before hesitation talks you out of it
Backed by 1 of 54 stacks: 1 do it, 0 recommend it, 0 have discussed it - Protocol$$$Mid: Roughly $50 to $500, or up to $50/month.21
Acupuncture
Fine needles at set points, used by athletes for tight or sore muscle
Backed by 1 of 54 stacks: 1 do it, 0 recommend it, 0 have discussed it - ProtocolFREE, no cost22
Automatic rules
Decide the behavior once, as a rule, so it is not decided in the moment
Backed by 1 of 54 stacks: 1 do it, 0 recommend it, 0 have discussed it - ProtocolFREE, no cost23
Box breathing
Inhale, hold, exhale, hold, each for a count of four, repeated for a few minutes
Backed by 1 of 54 stacks: 1 do it, 0 recommend it, 0 have discussed it - ProtocolFREE, no cost24
Budget and deadline discipline
Treating the number and the date as hard limits that end the project
Backed by 1 of 54 stacks: 1 do it, 0 recommend it, 0 have discussed it - ProtocolFREE, no cost25
Cookie jar
A mental store of past wins to draw on when you want to quit
Backed by 1 of 54 stacks: 0 do it, 1 recommend it, 0 have discussed it - ProtocolFREE, no cost26
Disagree and commit
State your objection once, then back the decision fully instead of relitigating it
Backed by 1 of 54 stacks: 1 do it, 0 recommend it, 0 have discussed it - ProtocolFREE, no cost27
Evening review
Going back over the day at night: what you did, said and could have handled better
Backed by 1 of 54 stacks: 0 do it, 1 recommend it, 0 have discussed it - ProtocolFREE, no cost28
FBI feedback method
Say the feeling, then the behavior that caused it, then the impact it had
Backed by 1 of 54 stacks: 0 do it, 1 recommend it, 0 have discussed it - ProtocolFREE, no cost29
Fear-setting
Write down the worst case, how to prevent it, and how to repair it
Backed by 1 of 54 stacks: 1 do it, 0 recommend it, 0 have discussed it - Protocol$$$Cheap: Roughly under $50, or under $15/month.30
Foam rolling
Pressing body weight into a dense foam cylinder to work through tight muscle
Backed by 1 of 54 stacks: 1 do it, 0 recommend it, 0 have discussed it - ProtocolFREE, no cost31
Grounding (earthing)
Bare skin on grass, sand or soil, or a conductive mat wired to earth
Backed by 1 of 54 stacks: 1 do it, 0 recommend it, 0 have discussed it - Protocol$$$Mid: Roughly $50 to $500, or up to $50/month.32
HRV biofeedback training
Paced breathing against a live heart rate variability readout, a few minutes a day
Backed by 1 of 54 stacks: 0 do it, 1 recommend it, 0 have discussed it - ProtocolFREE, no cost33
Infinite mindset
Play for staying in the game rather than for beating this quarter's number
Backed by 1 of 54 stacks: 0 do it, 1 recommend it, 0 have discussed it - ProtocolFREE, no cost34
Killing the ANTs
Writing down automatic negative thoughts and putting each one on trial
Backed by 1 of 54 stacks: 0 do it, 1 recommend it, 0 have discussed it - ProtocolFREE, no cost35
Let them, let me
Two words to stop managing other people, then two more to decide what you do
Backed by 1 of 54 stacks: 1 do it, 0 recommend it, 0 have discussed it - ProtocolFREE, no cost36
Long-term games with long-term people
Picking work, partners and industries where you keep meeting the same people
Backed by 1 of 54 stacks: 0 do it, 1 recommend it, 0 have discussed it - ProtocolFREE, no cost37
Obituary test
Decide what you want your obituary to say, then live so as to deserve it
Backed by 1 of 54 stacks: 0 do it, 1 recommend it, 0 have discussed it - Protocol$$$Cheap: Roughly under $50, or under $15/month.38
Pickleball
Paddle sport on a small court, easy to learn, played by whole families across generations
Backed by 1 of 54 stacks: 1 do it, 0 recommend it, 0 have discussed it - ProtocolFREE, no cost39
Positive framing
State the outcome you want instead of the one you are trying to avoid
Backed by 1 of 54 stacks: 0 do it, 1 recommend it, 0 have discussed it - ProtocolFREE, no cost40
Progressive muscle relaxation
Tensing and releasing muscle groups in order to find and drop held tension
Backed by 1 of 54 stacks: 0 do it, 1 recommend it, 0 have discussed it - Protocol$$$Mid: Roughly $50 to $500, or up to $50/month.41
Public speaking course
A structured class in speaking to a room, taken to get past the fear of doing it
Backed by 1 of 54 stacks: 1 do it, 0 recommend it, 0 have discussed it - ProtocolFREE, no cost42
Reflected Best Self Exercise
Ask twenty people for a story of you at your best, then find the pattern
Backed by 1 of 54 stacks: 1 do it, 0 recommend it, 0 have discussed it - ProtocolFREE, no cost43
Regret minimization framework
Picture yourself at 80 looking back, then pick the option you would regret least
Backed by 1 of 54 stacks: 1 do it, 0 recommend it, 0 have discussed it - ProtocolFREE, no cost44
Saying No Gracefully
A three step script for declining without wrecking the relationship
Backed by 1 of 54 stacks: 0 do it, 1 recommend it, 0 have discussed it - ProtocolFREE, no cost45
Shipping creative work
Publishing on a schedule rather than waiting for the work to feel ready
Backed by 1 of 54 stacks: 0 do it, 1 recommend it, 0 have discussed it - ProtocolFREE, no cost46
Silent meditation retreat
Ten residential days of silence and long sitting, no reading or phone
Backed by 1 of 54 stacks: 1 do it, 0 recommend it, 0 have discussed it - ProtocolFREE, no cost47
Strategic quitting
Setting your quit conditions in advance, then quitting without drama
Backed by 1 of 54 stacks: 0 do it, 1 recommend it, 0 have discussed it - Protocol$$$Mid: Roughly $50 to $500, or up to $50/month.48
Surfing
Paddling, pop-ups and turns as conditioning, plus hours away from a phone
Backed by 1 of 54 stacks: 1 do it, 0 recommend it, 0 have discussed it - ProtocolFREE, no cost49
The 85 percent rule
Working at about 85 percent effort so relaxation and form do the rest
Backed by 1 of 54 stacks: 1 do it, 0 recommend it, 0 have discussed it - ProtocolFREE, no cost50
Two-way door decisions
Sort choices by how reversible they are, then move fast on the reversible ones
Backed by 1 of 54 stacks: 1 do it, 0 recommend it, 0 have discussed it - ProtocolFREE, no cost51
Visualization
Rehearsing a performance in your head before you do it for real
Backed by 1 of 54 stacks: 1 do it, 0 recommend it, 0 have discussed it - ProtocolFREE, no cost52
WHY discovery exercise
Ask a close friend why you are friends, then listen for what they say about themselves
Backed by 1 of 54 stacks: 0 do it, 1 recommend it, 0 have discussed it
Not medical advice. Not affiliated with, endorsed by, or reviewed by anyone listed.