Stressed? If you’re a mom, then “yes” would probably be the answer, stressful days are almost inevitable.
Stress comes in different ways; waking up each day running around with house chores, catching up on your career and chasing after the kids are enough to cause you stress.
Parental stress starts on the first day you became a mom. At first, you wouldn’t know how stressful the journey of motherhood could be, but as time goes on, you start experiencing it.
Nonetheless, parental stress is unavoidable but irrespective of which angle your stress comes from, the most important thing is for you to know how you can manage it.
If not, it can affect your attitude/communication towards your family; you could become harsh, quick to blame, become authoritative, and communicate negatively to your kids.
Asides that, stress can cause harm to your health or damage your relationship with your kids. Remember your kids are watching you react to stress either positively or negatively.
In as much as stress could be so hard to handle, you can cope with stressful days with the tips below.
Here are 7 tips to you cope with stressful days.
1. Take a break and decompress after a stressful day
At times your body really needs a break.
When you feel like this, all you need is to take some minutes away from your kids – take a walk, relax, meditate and take a deep breath.
It gives you a greater view on how to equip and handle stress around you as a mom.
2. Exercise with your family
Exercise is one of the proven ways to relieve stress.
Choose any activity you and your family enjoy most – it could be swimming, jogging, biking or walking. All you need to do is get involved in your favorite work out with your family.
3. Take time to laugh
Laughing, giggling and smiling can help relieve you from stress.
You could have a good and long laugh with your kids to help relieve you from pressure.
In addition, you could learn to say funny things to your kids and make each day fun filled at home.
4. Have a support group
You could try sharing your parenting challenges with other moms, especially older moms who have gone through a similar situation in the past. Listen to their candid advice on how to deal with stress.
Alternatively, you could speak to a group of people, a close friend, or join a mom’s forum. However, it should be people you are comfortable to share your feelings with and liable to get positive feedback to your problems.
5. Identify times of the day most stressful for you
Identify that period that you feel most stressed. it could be cooking, getting the kids ready for school, or shopping.
Sometimes, when you don’t plan your time and you rush about getting things done in time, you get overstressed. This, in turn, can make you transfer the anger on your kids.
Nevertheless, plan ahead of time-like – arrange your kids’wear before going to bed, when you feel too tired to cook, it’s okay to eat out with your family and spare yourself the stress.
6. Listen to your favorite music
Nothing beats good! It has the power to calm your mind and body when it’s stressed.
Create a playlist that contains your favorite songs and dance along. Let the music speak to you and relieve you of your stress.
Hopefully, with these tips, you should be equipped with ways to cope with stress and how to balance family responsibilities with your career. When you are able to manage your stress properly, you will as well have quality time with your kids.
Remember, a happy and less-stressed mom will have happy and less-stressed kids.
