Whether you are planning a wedding, juggling a family and work… or just trying to get through life itself, we all need to try and find WAYS TO HELP RELAX AND DE-STRESS.
I personally really struggle with this and I think the idea of me writing this blog post is to remind myself of the steps I need to CONSTANTLY take.
I am a mum to 4 children (3 of which are teenagers), cook, cleaner, mum’s taxi, run my own business which includes me being not only a makeup artist but a receptionist, accountant, advertiser, web designer and so much more.
The majority of these roles are 24/7 too, which allows very little ‘me time’ and even less time to relax.
I’m in no way after a sympathy vote as I’m sure many of your lives are the same. So here are some strategies to help make things easier…. and not pull all our hair out!
BE PROACTIVE
I find when you have a lot to do sometimes this can be overwhelming, you can lose momentum and focus and end up wasting time and energy stressing and worrying about your ever increasing list of ‘things to do’ and not actually getting any of them done.
This is where my favourite thing in the whole wide world comes in…..LISTS! I LOVE LISTS! To do lists, shopping lists… any kind of lists.
I think taking a few minutes to write a list as and when you think of something you need to remember to do, gets it down on paper and out of your head.
You aren’t constantly trying to remember if there was something you were supposed to be doing/getting, its all on your list.
Also as you work through your list and tick off or cross out all your tasks/jobs you can feel a real sense of achievement and also see that the end is in sight.
BE ORGANISED
When time is of the essence being organised really does help you out.
Little things like writing a meal plan for the week and buying those ingredients from shopping means after work every night there is something planned out and ready to prepare without flapping about and wondering ‘what’s for tea?’ or ‘just getting a takeaway’.
Looking ahead to days when you haven’t got time to prepare food at meal times and being orgainsed in the morning to put something in the slow cooker.
I’m using meal times as an example but the same thing applies with everything, housework, business….keep organised and stay on top of things to prevent getting snowed under.
EXERCISE
This can often fall to the bottom of the list for many people as we can easily ‘not have time’ ‘or be too tired’. This is not about joining a gym or training for the Olympics, this is finding an active hobby that you enjoy this could be swimming, a fitness class, a dance class, yoga or even just out for a walk. This helps to get your heart rate up and release mood enhancing endorphins, to make you feel better about yourself.
I’ve just started yoga and love it, whether it’s in a class or watching tutorials on youtube or a dvd, taking time out to stretch out your muscles, work on your breathing and just gain a bit of focus is so rewarding.
Don’t underestimate a nice walk outside in either the sunshine or on a crisp winter’s day, this is a great form of exercise, a chance to fill your lungs with fresh air and leave all the jobs and stress behind and gain a bit of clarity.
EAT AND DRINK WELL
This is not about a diet or calorie counting this is about eating regular meals and snacks at the right times to fuel your body correctly. It’s also about taking time to sit and eat your food, chewing and digesting it properly to prevent heartburn and indigestion. (See eat your way to better skin)
When we are stressed or lacking in time is easy to grab something sugary and comforting to fill you up and give you a boost, but more often than not this type of food will give you a short burst and then cause your body to plummet, leaving you feeling worse than ever.
SLEEP
Try and establish a night time routine, decide on a time to stop work/tidying and start to wind down. Get into something comfy watch some tv, read a book whatever you find is a best way for you to relax.
Have a hot bath or shower to make you feel refreshed and relaxed before bed, dim the lights and even sprinkle some aromatherapy oil on a tissue to place by your bed or under your pillow, my favourite is Tisserand Sweet Dreams.
Decide on a time to switch off t.v, phone and other electronic devices….just lay down, close your eyes, take some deep breaths and drift off to sleep.
If you are someone that can really struggle with sleep try to see what you need to change about your routine to make you more relaxed at bedtime, try not to drink caffeine too close to bedtime as this can be a stimulant, maybe reduce liquids altogether before bed if toilet trips are something that disturb you. If, like me it’s an overactive brain that can keep you awake, sometimes I find keeping a pen and paper by the bed to jot things down helps me to then stop thinking about them until morning.
BE REALISTIC
You are one person, you are a human being….you are not a super hero with go go gadget arms and legs….we have our limits!
By trying to constantly push our limits or exceed them is only causing undue stress on ourselves.
Don’t be afraid to say “NO”,”sorry I can’t fit that in” or ask someone to help you out with things.
By trying to constantly do everything and keep a float sometimes we are in fact dragging ourselves under.
BE INFLUENCED/ DON’T BE INFLUENCED
Surround yourself with like minded people that are going to encourage you.
Whether this be with ‘real’ people or social media. If you are trying to stop spending money or trying to be healthy then logging on to social media and seeing new dresses, shoes etc and big burgers with everything covered in cheese is not really going to inspire you, they are going to tempt you to stay in your old ways.
If you are trying to be healthier and fitter following food prep, healthy eating, easy exercise accounts are going to give you tips and help motivate you.
This works with anything if you need to be more focused on business, engaging with similar people and posts are more likely to keep you on track.
STAY POSITIVE
Negativity is not healthy or productive. Try and adopt a positive approach to everything and surround yourself with positive people.
Life can often be difficult, for some more difficult than others, feeling hard done to or waiting for things to go wrong is a downward spiral.
Even through tough times try and find SOMETHING in your day to be greatful for. You may have woken up to bad news or feeling rubbish but hey….you woke up that day.
TIME FOR YOU
This will vary from person to person but find something that makes YOU happy and do it regularly. That might be something small and inexpensive, like a bubble bath or coffee/lunch with a friend, that you can find time to do daily or weekly, or something more of a treat that you may need to save for and do monthly or annually such as visit a spa, a designer treat or holiday.
Have you found this useful? Would love to hear any tips you have
