My yearly Capricorn horoscope in Soap Opera Digest said that 2011 will be a year of chaos. So far it has proven true. The wonderful company I was working for, who shall remain nameless, ran out of work due to poor management and booted me out the door. I'm the breadwinner and have a mortgage to pay on top of food, bills etc. Luckily I have some savings to fall back on. Add to that the boys and I being sick pretty much non-stop since school started back in September and me being their primary caregiver. I also just discovered my fiance, who used up his nine lives in our relationship a long time ago, has been leading this weird secret life.
Yeah, I'm in the midst of some serious chaos and stress.
Unfortunately, drinking myself into oblivion isn't an option and I gave up tobacco 4 years ago. Not that those would really help, but they would make me feel better at least for a little while.
Here are the healthy ways I'm coping with stress:
1. Exercise - Mon: I spend 20 minutes in the morning doing a yoga dvd
. Tues - Fri: I spend 20 minutes in the morning doing a Jillian Michaels dvd. Exercise helps release feel good chemicals in the brain. It also helps boost your immune system.
2. Vitamins - I make sure to take a multivitamin and Vitamin C and the doctor prescribed Vitamin D and magnesium. They help boost your immune system and the magnesium is useful for relieving anxiety.
3. Music - I have a radio in the kitchen, since that's where I spend most of my time when not on the computer. It makes a world of difference. BTW, if you are from upstate New York try 92.7 The Drive, a radio station that actually plays the Grateful Dead, Zeppelin, Tom Petty, Steve Earl - heard Copperhead Road the other day - how many radio stations play that?, tons of great stuff. Reminds me of Rock 107 20 years ago, only better.
4. Deep breathing - I've been doing a lot of that lately. Breathe in through the nose, hold for a few seconds and breathe out through the mouth. Deep breathing helps lower your blood pressure in just a few minutes.
5. Stick to a schedule - I have a daily schedule set up that helps me make sure I get work done, at least back when I had work to do. If I don't stick to the schedule, the day ends up being full of chaos and I don't get anything done. You really need to stay organized. It helps the kids too because they know what to expect throughout the day. Schools run on schedules, so why not set one up at home.
6. Get enough sleep - This is a tough one when you have kids, but it's probably the most important stress reliever. If I don't get enough sleep, I get very irritable and have trouble thinking clearly. Not a good combination when you are a software developer working at home. I go to bed the same time every night and make sure I get at least 8 hours of sleep during the week and about 9 on weekends. 7 - 8 is the optimal number of sleep hours. It's pretty much impossible when you have a baby, but after 6-9 months there should be no reason for a kid to not sleep through the night, unless they are sick. My boys are great sleepers. Even when they are sick, they sleep though the night. It's a pretty rare occasion when they don't sleep through the night.
7. Go outside and get some fresh air - Fresh air goes a long way, especially if you do it along with some deep breathing. Enjoy nature and get some sun, which will help your body produce Vitamin D naturally, which will help you physically feel better.
8. Take up a hobby if you don't already have one - Focusing on something you enjoy doing rather than on your problems will give you some time to take your mind off things and regroup.
9. Watch what you are eating and drinking - Stick with fresh fruits, vegetables and whole grains. People say this all the time, but it's really true. If you eat foods that are good for you and full of vitamins and minerals, you will begin to feel better, which will help you cope with stress better. Avoid processed foods. They have no nutritional value and are full of chemicals that make you feel like crap. Not to mention are a big source of major health problems. If you drink coffee, be careful it's not making you jittery and more anxious. I had to quit drinking it because it just made me too nervous. Now I stick with green tea. Chamomile tea is supposed to be good for relaxing you too.
10. Spend time playing with your kids - Stepping back and actually spending quality time and enjoying your kids makes a big difference. The saying kids grow up too fast is very true.
11. Socialize - If you have friends, go out and do something with them. Having a circle of friends is a big factor in longevity.
12. Make sure you like your job - If you hate your job, you're wasting a lot of time and putting a lot of unneeded stress on yourself. Figure out what you like to do and find a way to make money doing it. A job isn't really a job anymore when you do something you like. Since losing my job, I've had to do a lot of thinking about this one and came to the conclusion I do like being a software developer. I don't dread working. It's fun and keeps my mind sharp. If you need to develop new skills in order to work doing something you like, check out the internet and learn the skills you need. There's a lot of free information out there and a lot of online courses.
13. Read a book - Escape into a book for a while. Always a great stress buster.
14. Get lucky - If you have a partner, go grab them and head for the bedroom. No matter how you feel about them, just do it. It really will help you develop a closer relationship, if you don't already have one. I have a lot to get over with what my fiance was doing, but letting him in has really helped. It's also great for your health, since your brain releases feel good chemicals like oxytocin, which help you feel relaxed. 1 - 3 times a week is actually recommended as a way to boost your immune system. Who knew?
15. Meditate - Meditation actually changes your brain for the better. I bought a book which tells you how to meditate for just 8 minutes a day. I don't do this often enough, but once in a while I'll lay down to take a nap, not be able to sleep and end up using a meditation technique instead. When I had a concussion a few years ago, I did this quite frequently. It really helped make me feel calmer.
16. Write your thoughts and feelings down - Start a blog or journal where you vent. Talk about what's happened, how you feel, maybe how you are trying to cope, etc. That's why I like blogging. It's very therapeutic.
17. Watch television or a movie - It's a good mindless activity to take make you sit down and relax. Just don't let your mind wander. Focus on what you are watching.
18. Clean - Believe it or not, doing dishes helps me relax. Living in a clean house makes you feel organized and less stressed.
19. Laugh - Try to find the humor in what's causing the stress, if possible. Kind of depends on the situation, but sometimes it's possible.
20. Stay positive - Things might really suck at the moment, but sooner or later, they will get better. If they don't, then maybe it's a signal that it's time for a serious change. Things happen for a reason. Try to learn from what happens, so that you can move forward and not dwell on the past.
BTW, Here's a link to an article on all of the negative effects of stress. A lot of health problems are caused by stress. Stress is definitely not something to take lightly. Manage your stress and you will feel better about yourself and your life.
More Stress Relief Info
Yeah, I'm in the midst of some serious chaos and stress.
Unfortunately, drinking myself into oblivion isn't an option and I gave up tobacco 4 years ago. Not that those would really help, but they would make me feel better at least for a little while.
Here are the healthy ways I'm coping with stress:
1. Exercise - Mon: I spend 20 minutes in the morning doing a yoga dvd
. Tues - Fri: I spend 20 minutes in the morning doing a Jillian Michaels dvd. Exercise helps release feel good chemicals in the brain. It also helps boost your immune system.2. Vitamins - I make sure to take a multivitamin and Vitamin C and the doctor prescribed Vitamin D and magnesium. They help boost your immune system and the magnesium is useful for relieving anxiety.
3. Music - I have a radio in the kitchen, since that's where I spend most of my time when not on the computer. It makes a world of difference. BTW, if you are from upstate New York try 92.7 The Drive, a radio station that actually plays the Grateful Dead, Zeppelin, Tom Petty, Steve Earl - heard Copperhead Road the other day - how many radio stations play that?, tons of great stuff. Reminds me of Rock 107 20 years ago, only better.
4. Deep breathing - I've been doing a lot of that lately. Breathe in through the nose, hold for a few seconds and breathe out through the mouth. Deep breathing helps lower your blood pressure in just a few minutes.
5. Stick to a schedule - I have a daily schedule set up that helps me make sure I get work done, at least back when I had work to do. If I don't stick to the schedule, the day ends up being full of chaos and I don't get anything done. You really need to stay organized. It helps the kids too because they know what to expect throughout the day. Schools run on schedules, so why not set one up at home.
6. Get enough sleep - This is a tough one when you have kids, but it's probably the most important stress reliever. If I don't get enough sleep, I get very irritable and have trouble thinking clearly. Not a good combination when you are a software developer working at home. I go to bed the same time every night and make sure I get at least 8 hours of sleep during the week and about 9 on weekends. 7 - 8 is the optimal number of sleep hours. It's pretty much impossible when you have a baby, but after 6-9 months there should be no reason for a kid to not sleep through the night, unless they are sick. My boys are great sleepers. Even when they are sick, they sleep though the night. It's a pretty rare occasion when they don't sleep through the night.
7. Go outside and get some fresh air - Fresh air goes a long way, especially if you do it along with some deep breathing. Enjoy nature and get some sun, which will help your body produce Vitamin D naturally, which will help you physically feel better.
8. Take up a hobby if you don't already have one - Focusing on something you enjoy doing rather than on your problems will give you some time to take your mind off things and regroup.
9. Watch what you are eating and drinking - Stick with fresh fruits, vegetables and whole grains. People say this all the time, but it's really true. If you eat foods that are good for you and full of vitamins and minerals, you will begin to feel better, which will help you cope with stress better. Avoid processed foods. They have no nutritional value and are full of chemicals that make you feel like crap. Not to mention are a big source of major health problems. If you drink coffee, be careful it's not making you jittery and more anxious. I had to quit drinking it because it just made me too nervous. Now I stick with green tea. Chamomile tea is supposed to be good for relaxing you too.
10. Spend time playing with your kids - Stepping back and actually spending quality time and enjoying your kids makes a big difference. The saying kids grow up too fast is very true.
11. Socialize - If you have friends, go out and do something with them. Having a circle of friends is a big factor in longevity.
12. Make sure you like your job - If you hate your job, you're wasting a lot of time and putting a lot of unneeded stress on yourself. Figure out what you like to do and find a way to make money doing it. A job isn't really a job anymore when you do something you like. Since losing my job, I've had to do a lot of thinking about this one and came to the conclusion I do like being a software developer. I don't dread working. It's fun and keeps my mind sharp. If you need to develop new skills in order to work doing something you like, check out the internet and learn the skills you need. There's a lot of free information out there and a lot of online courses.
13. Read a book - Escape into a book for a while. Always a great stress buster.
14. Get lucky - If you have a partner, go grab them and head for the bedroom. No matter how you feel about them, just do it. It really will help you develop a closer relationship, if you don't already have one. I have a lot to get over with what my fiance was doing, but letting him in has really helped. It's also great for your health, since your brain releases feel good chemicals like oxytocin, which help you feel relaxed. 1 - 3 times a week is actually recommended as a way to boost your immune system. Who knew?
15. Meditate - Meditation actually changes your brain for the better. I bought a book which tells you how to meditate for just 8 minutes a day
. I don't do this often enough, but once in a while I'll lay down to take a nap, not be able to sleep and end up using a meditation technique instead. When I had a concussion a few years ago, I did this quite frequently. It really helped make me feel calmer.16. Write your thoughts and feelings down - Start a blog or journal where you vent. Talk about what's happened, how you feel, maybe how you are trying to cope, etc. That's why I like blogging. It's very therapeutic.
17. Watch television or a movie - It's a good mindless activity to take make you sit down and relax. Just don't let your mind wander. Focus on what you are watching.
18. Clean - Believe it or not, doing dishes helps me relax. Living in a clean house makes you feel organized and less stressed.
19. Laugh - Try to find the humor in what's causing the stress, if possible. Kind of depends on the situation, but sometimes it's possible.
20. Stay positive - Things might really suck at the moment, but sooner or later, they will get better. If they don't, then maybe it's a signal that it's time for a serious change. Things happen for a reason. Try to learn from what happens, so that you can move forward and not dwell on the past.
BTW, Here's a link to an article on all of the negative effects of stress. A lot of health problems are caused by stress. Stress is definitely not something to take lightly. Manage your stress and you will feel better about yourself and your life.
More Stress Relief Info
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