Got Stress?
Jun
14
Written by:
Monday, June 14, 2010 9:19 AM
Summer is here! The kids are out of school. Demands on your schedule have not decreased... they have only shifted.
Got Stress?
To say that being a wife and mother is stressful is an understatement. Add on top of that the unique stresses that military families face and it is very easy to go into stress overload.
The majority of us do not have a surplus of hours in our day to unwind and relax. On those busy peace-busting days there are a few things you can do to help yourself unwind a little.
- Pray! We are told in scripture: Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7)
- Stand up straight! Managing a hectic and stressful lifestyle can cause us to slump. Standing straight and tall takes awareness and energy that is often shifted to other things. Stop a moment, roll your shoulders back, become aware of your posture and open your shoulders and chest. This step will help you with the next tip.
- Take a drink of air! When our bodies are stressed we tend to breathe shallower. Stop what you are doing for a moment. Take a deep breath through your nose and expand your lower belly as you do this. Breathe in as deeply and as slowly as possible. Now, exhale more quickly and loudly. Repeat this several times. Be careful not to hyperventilate by breathing too quickly inward and outward. Take your time.
- Engage your children in a comedy break! Kids love to tell jokes to their parents. Laughter is a great stress buster. Even if the punch line isn’t too funny for an adult just watching your child tell the joke and laugh will be enough to lighten your own mood.
- Enjoy a whiff of your favorite scent. Whether it is perfume, body spray, fruit or essential oils most of us tend to have a scent that we love to smell. Citrus scents are wonderful in the summer time to revitalize and rejuvenate us. Cinnamon and spice scents in the fall and winter remind us of the holidays.
- This next tip plays off of the last one. Take a soft hand towel, wet it down in clean water with just a few drops of your favorite scent, and wring out. Place in a microwave for 2 minutes, test to ensure it’s comfortably warm but not too hot. Place on the back of your neck to help ease away tension. Repeat if necessary.
- If you have loose ends that are nagging you to be done (phone calls to return, checks to write, etc.), take one minute and do just one. It does not have to be the highest one on the priority list. Sometimes it takes tackling the quickest ones first before we feel the motivation to take on the bigger chores. One finished loose end can make a huge difference in your stress level.
Copyright ©2010 Claire Shackelford