Stress management

By: Jen Pearson
Are you stressed out? Could you use a break? If I gave you a nickel for every time you heard the word Moooommyyy - would you be rich? Well, we have all been there! With babies, toddlers and older children to care for along with cooking meals, paying bills, cleaning and playing taxi, finding time for yourself may seem impossible and when you do find a few quiet minutes, many of us are at a loss for what to do. Taking time out to recharge your batteries is just what you need. So, what's stopping you? Leave your chores behind, just for a little while, and give yourself permission to take a much needed time-out.

Here are just a few of my favorite Stress-Busters:

1. Put yourself in time out:  Allow some alone time for yourself. Use this time to focus on you. Find a place in your home that you can go to and find privacy. You can ask your partner or a friend to take the family out for a few hours while you enjoy your alone time. Do nothing, sleep, read, watch a movie, and just enjoy your solitude.

2. Talk to a friend: When you are feeling stressed, lean on a good friend. Sit down and enjoy a good conversation, a cup of coffee or a girls day out pampering yourself. Moms find great comfort, support and love in the company of close friends.

3. Play: As adults, we sometimes forget the beneficial value of play. Play stimulates our imagination, encourages our creativity, boosts our energy, and best of all, it is fun. Try a game of tennis, a game of cards online or perhaps invite some friends over for an evening of board games. We love to play Sequence and Trivial Pursuit, which has many varieties. Cranium is also a great party game.

4. Meditate: Meditation has been proven to reduce your blood pressure, and helps to dramatically reduce your stress level. Meditation and/or prayer will help you to keep in touch with your spiritual side. Meditation is a very effective method of relaxation. To meditate, quiet your mind and allow yourself to focus on one thing, such as your breath. Find a relaxed comfortable position where Try visualizing good health and peace as you inhale. While you are breathing out breathe out all of your stress. Set aside approximately 20 minutes for this exercise. Upon completion, you will see just how much more relaxed your mind and body is, and for how much longer you can maintain your patience.

5. Take a nap: Find a quiet, comfortable spot and take a nap. Even a short power nap can leave you feeling refreshed, renewed, and more focused. Studies have shown that people who spent 30 minutes each day napping had one third less heart disease than those who didn't nap.

6. Eat: Not just anything but certain things. Studies show that certain foods can help reduce stress. Carbohydrates, will actually soothe you. Good sources of carbohydrates include rice, pasta, potatoes, breads, air-popped popcorn and low-calorie cookies. Experts suggest that the carbohydrates present in just one baked potato or a cup of spaghetti or white rice, is enough to relieve the anxiety of a stressful day. Or have a cup of chamomile tea which is a proven soother.

Jen Pearson offers you a free stress busting technique "The Secret of the Four Anchors" on her website: Mindvoyagers.com

Come by and have a look!