• Relieving Stress

  • Parenting is just one of the many important things you have to do in your day. Between work and school, there isn’t much room to take a breather, and after a while, the stress can start to get to you. Taking a bit of time for yourself is an important part of parenting, whether it means five minutes or five hours, and it can help relieve the stresses of the average parent’s life. Next time you feel the stress coming on, try using these five tips to keep it at bay.

    Build your schedule around your family. Adults are constantly over-scheduling themselves, making it tough to enjoy family life and give kids the attention they deserve. Knock the nonessentials out of your schedule and put your children and spouse at the top of the list.

    Tend to your body. This means doing everything you’re supposed to be doing as a healthy adult. Eat right, exercise regularly, and get at least 7 or 8 hours of sleep per night. These are essential to keeping a level head and easing the stress that life puts on the body.

    Don’t forget to breathe! Taking a moment to slow your pace and ease your mind can drastically reduce the stress of your day. Breathe deeply, slowly, and regularly to expel all that bad energy and calm the nerves. Mild meditation can work wonders, but you have to be the one to catch yourself and slow down when your mind is going a mile a minute.

    Remember to schedule a bit of alone time for yourself. You can’t play “mommy” all day long, nor can you be your “work self” all day long. Sometimes you have to just be yourself and do the things you want to do. Try to work in a bit of time for yourself every day to do the things that make you you, and you’ll find the stress of everyday life just fall away.