• Repeat a word or phrase such as "relax" or "take it easy" in a slow, calm manner.
• Close your eyes, sit up straight, and breathe out the anger. Deep breathing exercises can be very calming and will help you regain control before losing your temper.
• Stretch your arms and legs up and outward from your body slowly. This relieves a large amount of physical tension.
• Take a time-out. Sometimes getting a little space or fresh air will help cool you down and give you some perspective. Although it may seem cliché, counting to 10 before reacting really can defuse your temper. Meditation aims to calm the mind and by doing so can induce deep states of relaxation that trigger the relaxation response.
• Relax yourself, loosen your muscles, and just sit back, or lie down, and clear your head of everything negative. Rest can put things in proper perspective.
• Think about something which will make you happy. The best antidote to negativity is to focus on the positive.
• Try to understand why you are angry. If a particular situation or a person is making you angry, talk to a friend. Tell him or her why you feel angry, and you may end up feeling not-so angry afterwards.
• Once you're calm, express your anger. It's healthy to express your frustration in a non-confrontational way. Stewing about it can make the situation worse.
• Use 'I' statements when describing the problem. This will help you to avoid criticizing or placing blames, which can make the other person angry or resentful — and increase tension. For instance, say, "I'm upset you didn't help with the housework this evening," instead of, "You should have helped with the housework."
• Use humor to release tensions. Lightening up can help diffuse tension. Don't use sarcasm, though — it's can hurt feelings and make things worse.
• Keep an anger log to identify the kinds of situations that set you off and to monitor your reactions.