Nearly three-fourths (74%) of New York City residents working in offices believe that they are more stressed-out than those who live anywhere else, and that this stress has been exacerbated even more since the economic crisis off 2008-2009, according to a recent survey from Haw Par Healthcare.

At the same time that stress and stress-related pain is increasing, 57% of New York office workers report cutting down on “self-pampering” indulgences, such as massages, hair maintenance and manicures, Haw Par said.

Perhaps the need to cut back on luxuries, economize and “spend money wisely,” has led to this stressed-out culture within NYC, but we at LocalBooking.com are here to put an end to this madness.

According to most economic reports, the economic crisis is over, and though we may not feel it instantly in our personal lives it’s time to stop living in a Great Depression state of mind. The only way we can move forward and continue to be productive individuals both at the office and in our personal lives is to take some time out of every week to treat yourself to a reward for the hard work you have endured throughout the week.

If you have been putting in 40 hours a week sitting behind a desk, 10 hours a week commuting in the harsh weather to the office, and perhaps another 15 hours per week taking care of your household and performing chores, we at localbooking.com think you need a break. It’s a known fact that stress reduces productivity, so in order to increase productivity the most important thing you must do for yourself is reduce stress. If you thought you couldn’t afford it before, we are here to prove that you can if you book your downtime with us!

Here are some downtime suggestions at unbelievable discount prices that could make a world of difference in your stress levels, thus increasing your overall productivity, quality of life and of course happiness:

1) Get a Massage: According to BigBackPain.com “There is a strong connection between stress and back pain. Stress causes a release of stress hormones. Stress hormones increase the perception of pain. Stress hormones also cause the muscles to tighten up. The muscles may tense up so much they go into painful spasms. Back and neck muscles are particularly sensitive to the effects of stress.”

• At http://localbooking.com you can find amazing de-stressing massages at up to 50% OFF from the best spa’s in all neighborhoods of Manhattan including Soho, Tribeca, Midtown, Upper East Side, Upper West Side, Chelsea, Gramercy Park, East and West Village, and many more!

2) Update Your Hairstyle: Your hair is the first thing people notice in the winter when we are all bundled up, so no matter how stressed you are you should always make sure to take care of your hair.

• If you’ve been cutting back on getting your monthly haircut, or color touch-ups due to high pricing, we would like to offer you up to 40% OFF off hair cuts, color, blow outs, and conditioning treatments from luxury salons like Geoff Merritt Salon, MV Salon, Salon Gabor and many more! Simply type in your zip code, the type of hair service you need and you will see discounts that salons in your neighborhood are offering for booking at http://localbooking.com!

• SPECIAL OFFER: Free Hair Gloss Conditioning Treatment at Marie Bove Salon in Gramercy Park/Flatiron, NY if you book here http://localbooking.com/mariebovesalon?tab=coupon

3) Treat Yourself to a Facial: Slough away the dead stressed out skin cells on your face to reveal a whole new, younger, and less stressed looking you! Stress makes us age quicker, so by getting regular facials you can reverse the aging process thus reducing the stress that getting older may be causing you in the first place!

• Find deals on facials from NYC’s best spa’s like Yinn Beauty & Arts Spa (voted best facials in New York City) on the Upper West Side at $30 OFF original price, or try the anti-aging treatments like microdermabrasion at Dyanna Body & Nail Salon for up to 20% off here: http://localbooking.com/

4) Body Treatments: Doesn’t the sound of a Cocoa Body wrap, Seaweed wrap, or Detox treatment just melt away stress immediately? Well the actual procedure can do so even more! Replenish the nutrients in your body that you have been missing due to lack of sunlight, and perhaps unhealthy diet while at your desk with a nourishing body treatment at any of the participating LocalBooking.com Salons.

• Save Up to 30% off on any body treatment booked through http://localbooking.com – search by zip code or service to see which treatments fall within your budget.

5) Manicure/ Pedicure: What did Elle Woods from Legally Blonde do every time she felt overwhelmed and stressed out?

She went to her local nail salon to get a manicure. Manicures and pedicures are a must for us to keep up our hand and feet hygiene, however,

not only do they give us great mini limb massages with beautiful nails afterwards but they also give us an hour to sit in a chair, let our minds go, and chit chat with the people around you. A local nail salon can become a sanctuary for both men and women, and for under $40 this could be all the stress relief you need at the end of each week!

• Check our major discounts up to 30% OFF from salons voted best of NYC nail salons by Citysearch, Yelp, and New York magazine like Dyanna Body & Nail Spa, Eden Day Spa, and Aqualia Spa at http://localbooking.com.

Also, make sure to subscribe to our newsletter at http://localbooking.com/ to receive alerts of freebies these salons and spa’s are offering, sweepstakes you can enter, and Deals of the Day that can give you up to 90% OFF on a variety of services and packages!