While you may love being a mother, there’s no avoiding the fact that it can be stressful. On some days, it feels as if nothing goes right, and that you’re continually on the edge of a breakdown. While there’s nothing wrong with feeling underwhelmed from time to time, it’s also true that it can be a good idea to actively manage your stress levels. In this blog, we’re going to take a look at some tried and tested methods for keeping stress at a minimum.
9 Ways to Reduce Stress as a Mother
A Good Night’s Rest
Now, you may be looking at that headline and thinking: ‘what, a good night’s sleep, when I have a little child to look after? Dream on!’ And that’s fair — your child is largely going to dictate how much rest you get. However, some parents inadvertently damage the amount of rest they get by making a few errors after their child has gone to bed. For example, if you’re spending an hour scrolling through your social media channels before hitting the hay, then it’ll be little surprise if you’re finding it difficult to calm your mind.
Run It Out
If you’re continually on the edge, then it’ll come as little surprise if you begin to feel stressed. One of the best ways to get rid of this nervous energy is to put it into something else, such as running. If you’re feeling a little overwhelmed, one of the best things that you can do is to strap on your running shoes and go a quick but intense jog. You’ll feel much better after you’ve sweated that stress away. Exercise also releases plenty of feelgood chemicals into your body, so you’ll be in a better mood too.
Meditation and Timeouts
If you know, then you know. People who make meditation part of their everyday lives often talk about just how beneficial it has been to their overall well-being. It should be an integral part of your life, just as important as exercise and eating well. One of the best things about meditation is that it can be so easy to get started. All you need is ten minutes, a comfortable place to sit, and that’s it. If you don’t have ten minutes, then sometimes just taking a quick 15 second timeout to do nothing but watch your breath can be enough to take the edge off.
Talk It Out With Your Partner
A problem shared is a problem halved. Sometimes, we’re carrying around a feeling of stress all day, and it doesn’t feel good — we have to let it out! Talking really does make a big difference. It can feel as if you’re actively letting the stress out, with your words. If you’re having a rough day, then talk things through with your partner. It’s not about finding a solution or anything, rather just talking about what’s on your mind. You’ll feel a lot better once you’re finished.
Get Your Finances Under Control
Of all the things that can cause stress, none are quite as stressful as the money situation. While you might have your long-term finances under control, many parents struggle when it comes to those unexpected expenses that can arise due to car problems, urgent home repairs, and so on. You can minimise the stressful effects of these problems by remembering that you will always have options to help with your financial needs. You can borrow money from family, or make the most of guarantor loans. No matter what urgent bill you have to pay, there will always be ways to make it happen!
Be Mindful of Negatives
Your brain is the best tool that you’ll ever have, but it’s also true that it can, at times, be your biggest enemy too. If you let your mind run amok, then you might find that you’re pushed into a negative spiral that compounds your stressful situation. Many people slip into this way of thinking, and then have to dig themselves out later on. You can prevent the negative part of your mind — the one that criticises your decisions, makes you doubt yourself, etc — by adopting a positive state of mind. It sounds corny, but it does work, so give it a try!
Well-Organised
When you’re a parent, there will be some aspects of life that are simply beyond your control. You’ll just have to go with the flow with those things. But then there are the areas of life where you can be in control. For example, while you might not have any say in how many things you have to do, you do have a say in how organised you are to handle those tasks. Simple things, like keeping a notepad on the kitchen table, or having a digital planner that tells you where you need to be and when, can make a big difference. Stressful moments usually arise when we forget that we had to be somewhere. The chances of this happening will be reduced if you have reminders of your schedule all around you.
Learn from Your Mistakes
You’re not going to get everything right as a parent. There’ll be times when you make mistakes that add fuel on to the fire that is your stress levels. While there’ll be little that you can do about it once it’s happened, you can always learn from your error, so that you do things better next time. There’s a lesson to be learned in all stressful moments!
Go Easy On Yourself
Finally, remember to go easy on yourself. While there are many stressful moments when you’re a parent, sometimes mothers can be guilty of piling unnecessary stress onto themselves. If you know how to treat yourself well, embrace the uncertainty, and remember that you’re doing a pretty spectacular job, then you’ll find it easier to adopt a happy go lucky attitude than can make motherhood all the more enjoyable.
And if nothing else, remember that the stressful times will end in the future. It won’t be like this forever and ever!
