Stress Busters

"Oh my God! I'm so stressed! What should I do?"

Often, I would hear my friends tell me this. But in reality, who isn't stressed? Everybody experiences stress, even children. But do you know that there is good stress and bad stress? Stress can be good for you when you experience it in moderation and forces you to excel or do your best. However, when stress is given in long periods of time and your body can not handle it anymore then that stress becomes bad or excessive.

As a working mom with 4 kids, I am often under stress. The chaos of our house with little boys running everywhere, the sound of the TV, the task of managing the household & the demands of my work really transforms me into a witch. My husband would always tell me to take it in strides but it is easier said than done.

Thus, I decided to write this to help others & also as a reminder to myself. It may or may not work for you but who knows?

1. Learn to recognize your stress. Most of us would just say "I'm stressed!" but it would help if we determine the cause of our stress. Often the cause of our stress is just in our mind and when we analyze it, it shouldn't cause so much worry. Also learning to distinguish what is good & bad stress can help alleviate the situation.

2. Can I do something about it? Ask yourself first this question if you are stressed about something. If you can do something to correct the situation then do it. However, in most situations, it is out of our hands. Example, you are stressed that you turned down an invitation by your mother-in-law for a lunch over this weekend. This is a last minute invitation and you have made plans earlier for the weekend with your bestfriend whom you haven't seen for a long time. You start to worry that your mother-in-law will take your refusal negatively. So how do we handle the situation? First, see if you can fix your schedule. If no arrangements can be made, choose and decide. Whatever you decide, stand by it and do not think anymore of what the other person will think. It is futile and a waste of energy. You can not control what the other person will think but you can control your decisions.

3. Organize, Prioritize & Delegate. Nothing beats proper planning. This will spare you from the stress of cramming & rushing. With all the multitude of tasks we have to accomplish, knowing what is important and what is not will make a big difference. Delegating the not so important tasks will ease the burden you have on your shoulders. Remember, you are not Superman.

4. Do something you ENJOY. Get a breather, anything that will take your mind off your work or responsibilities.

• Take up a hobby - It can be cross stitch, collecting items, gardening, beading etc. There are countless hobbies that you can start. I recently discovered Scrapbooking and I really enjoyed it. Start a project that you can work at your own pace.
• Watch a movie - This will relieve you of your worries for at least 2 hours. It's cheap and you can do it with your friends or loved one.
• Read a book - Reading feeds our imagination. It enables us to experience life vicariously. So, set aside time each day to read a book. It can be just a few pages but pretty soon you'll be surprised that you have read the whole book already.
• Pamper yourself - If you have the money, go to your fave salon and be treated like a queen. If you're tight on the budget, a DIY pampering will work as well. There are lots of beauty products available that you can do on your own. Shut yourself in your room, put on a soft music, light scented candles for that special effect and give yourself a hair spa, manicure & pedicure.
• Move that body - One sure way to cure stress is to exercise. When we exercise, we release "happy" hormones. It doesn't have to be in an expensive fitness center. Just take a walk around the park or in your neighborhood or play badminton with your kids. Before the game is over, you will be in a good mood already.
• Keep a journal - For some, writing what transpired helps ease the stress. It can be a diary or a blog. Whatever your tool is, it doesn't matter. What matters is that you were able to express your thoughts.
• Feed your soul - Stress is brought about by worries. And what better way to let go of these thoughts but to talk to God. Pray and talk to Him, tell Him your woes and you will feel better. Prayer does not always have to be in the church. It can be anywhere as long as you feel at ease.

The list could go on and on and you are welcome to add your own stress buster technique. Do not be afraid to try. Finally, put stress in a different perspective. We all need stress in our lives. Life would be too bland if everything is working out just right. It's not life anymore and stress is part of being human. In the end, it all boils down one thing.

Love yourself, Relax and leave the driving to God.