A two-week vacation can be the ultimate stress-buster. But for most people, this happens only once a year -- at best.

Fortunately, there are plenty of quick, easy ways to fight stress. Here are 16 of my favorite strategies...

Take a three-minute holiday. Stop whatever you’re doing. Recall your three favorite vacation spots... or three preferred weekend pastimes. Resume your task with a new perspective.

Relive romance. Romantic fantasies lessen pain and lower anxiety, according to a recent study. Recall romantic memories... or create your own fantasy.

Write down relaxing words. Create a list on an index card, and post it as a reminder on a bulletin board, refrigerator or some other noticeable place. Even the sound of these words -- mellow, slow, easy, blissful, etc. -- evoke soothing thoughts and memories.

Use color. Scientists have long known that color affects mood. With clothes -- and in your home -- choose colors that promote pleasant feelings.

Examples: If you’re feeling fatigued, consider wearing orange or yellow to boost your energy levels. At home, paint walls a soft shade of green or blue for a calming effect.

Relax with vanilla. Light a vanilla-scented candle, moisturize with a vanilla-scented lotion or add a dash of vanilla extract to a cup of steaming decaf coffee. Aromatherapists often recommend vanilla to produce feelings of calm and happiness.

Do the opposite. If you’ve spent all day with people, take a five-minute solitude break. If you’ve been indoors, go outside for five minutes.

Get a new pillow. If you sleep on your side, a firm foam pillow will help keep your neck aligned with your spine. An extra pillow between your legs relieves pressure on the lower back and hips. If you sleep on your back, try a flatter pillow or one filled with soft down.

Gauge your stress. For one week, chart your stress level on a scale of 1 (calm) to 10 (frenzied) every morning and night. Increased awareness of stressors in your life will help you modulate your stress -- and even lower it a notch or two.

Warm your hands. You may feel especially chilled if you’re frightened or stressed. To remedy this, run your hands and wrists under warm water for a few minutes. Gently pat your hands dry. Then wrap them around a mug of steaming tea.

Indulge your feet. Warm feet are a natural sedative. They’re more effective in helping you sleep than sleep-inducing supplements, studies find. Wear slippers or thick socks to bed or put a hot-water bottle at your feet.

Make “nose alphabets.” To ease tense neck muscles, sit up straight, with your head forward and your shoulders relaxed. Then move your nose in small, fluid movements to trace the alphabet in the air.

Stroll through a greenhouse. It is warm, soothing and bright.

Brush your hair. Forget the 100-strokes rule. Gently brush your hair without counting, and give your scalp a light invigorating massage.

To add thickness to your hair, put two drops of rosemary essential oil on the brush before brushing.

Put mistakes behind you. We tend to spotlight our mistakes. That only creates more stress and worry. Next time you err, calmly assess the damage, make corrections and move on. Revisit the situation at day’s end to see if you need to do more.

Play with clay. Squeezing and molding clay release tension. Visit an art-supply store to purchase molding clay, or sign up for a beginner’s pottery class. Get your hands dirty.

Add lavender. Lavender is a natural remedy for insomnia, anxiety and headaches. Bathe with lavender soap or bath gel. Lying down with a lavender-scented compress can ease a headache. Use two teaspoons of dried lavender flowers to make a cup of herb tea. Steep for five minutes, then strain.