I don’t know if it’s the fact that my daughter has recently entered a stubborn phase, the fact that I’m trying to keep up with two work from home jobs, the intense and awful heatwave we’re experiencing or ALL of the above, but lately I find myself stressed out. Like, I want to just cover my head and sleep until it all goes away. I feel like everywhere I turn, something else is going to irritate me and send me into a stressful fit and frankly, I’m a little tired of feeling this way! As mothers, we stress over anything and everything. We want the best for our children, we want to provide for them physically and emotionally, and then we have our spouses and ourselves to think about. There will always be times that are just stressing- that’s just life. But there are those times (you know what I’m talking about) that it seems we become buried with the weight of our worries. If that sounds like you, then check out some tips to help relieve that burdens that stress is bringing you.
1. Identify The Reasons Your Stressed
Before you scream out EVERYTHING, take a few minutes to sit down and really think about some of the contributors to your stress. Is it your job? Do you need to cut back hours or have a difficult conversation with your boss? Maybe your children are pushing you to your limit, and a little face to face time will clear up their incessant nagging which is driving you to insanity. Sometimes when you’re stressed, it becomes just an overwhelming feeling you embrace all the time. Things that didn’t use to stress you are just adding to your anxiety. It helps to contemplate and even write down what your stressors are so you can then spend time trying to solve them.
2. Exercise
There are times when I’m so stressed out or anxious that I literally feel like my chest is heavy. The stress weighs down, and I tend to carry it heavily. My body is screaming for me to exercise to relieve it and when I step off the treadmill, I feel physically and emotionally better. When you exercise, your body releases endorphins which are chemicals in your brain that relieve pain. When your body feels better, so does your mind and thus, stress is relieved! Even if exercising feels like just another thing to figure out how to schedule, take a few minutes to go for a walk a quick run. You will be amazed how much you feel better.
3. Meditate
I’m using the word “mediate” as a bit of a blanket statement here. Pray, have quiet time, journal or mediate on your stresses. We often feel worse when we don’t have time to gain some mental composure because of our busy lives. Constantly being on the go makes you feel worse and worse because there’s not time for rest and rejuvenation. Try and schedule at least 15 minutes a day that includes some alone time for yourself. It will make it that much easier to get back at it if you feel like you took care of yourself for a few minutes.
4. Sleep
It’s seriously amazing what sleep, or a lack thereof, does to determine your day. Moms without enough sleep are prone to snippiness, crankiness and being impatient (just to name a few!). Sometimes it feels like getting good sleep is out of your control, especially if you have young babies who wake during the night, you have a snoring husband or you have a hard time shutting off your brain. But there are just as many habits that prevent you even further, like staying up too late to watch TV (because you FINALLY have some alone time), laying in bed scrolling through social media or even just catching up on work. Until you get this stress thing worked out, try to get to bed as early as you can. Your body and mind will be better able to cope with stress when it’s rested!
5. Take Time For Fun
It’s amazing how NOT fun stress is, and how easy it can be to put it aside for awhile and just have fun. Even if your kids are part of the reason you’re stressed, they can actually help you forget about it for awhile. Pack everyone in the car for a trip for ice cream or go to the movies. Nobody knows how to have fun better than a kid and sometimes they’re just what you need to put things in perspective.
6. Eat
You know, the way you sit down and put food in your body? Ok, so maybe you don’t sit but you still somehow shove food in your mouth. It’s not uncommon to realize after you’ve put the kids down for their afternoon nap that you never actually ate lunch yourself. Or even breakfast. Eating isn’t just an activity, it’s vital to handling stress effectively. Your body and mind can cope better when they aren’t trying to fight off hunger pangs and you can focus on achieving your tasks, and alleviating your stress. You can also choose foods that are known to fight stress, like bananas and dark chocolate! As difficult as it can be, be sure you are eating SOMETHING during the day. Sit with your kids and fuel your body!
Karly Wood
Latest posts by Karly Wood (see all)
- 15 Wonderful White Kitchens - January 14, 2019
- We Want All These Spring Manis And We Want Them Now - January 8, 2019
- DIY Heart-Shaped Valentine’s Day Wreath - January 4, 2019
Related Images:
Karly Wood
Latest posts by Karly Wood (see all)
- 15 Wonderful White Kitchens - January 14, 2019
- We Want All These Spring Manis And We Want Them Now - January 8, 2019
- DIY Heart-Shaped Valentine’s Day Wreath - January 4, 2019
