Life can be hectic and it is hard to get done what you need to each day. I am a planner and I love to plan out my weeks and days, but last month my son missed six days of school and then my daughter two days on top of that! Then, I got sick! Needless to say, it threw off my schedule for weeks! My kids also both have asthma and it is extremely stressful when their asthma cough turns into much more. Being a mom can be really hard, stressful and if its a bad winter with a lot of sickness in your family… you don’t really know when you’ll get a break from it all.
Being stressed out is no fun and I decided it was time to think about how I could take better care of myself, so that I handle these stressful situations in a better way.
I am going to share with you My Top 5 Ways to Relieve Stress (especially when the kids are sick!):
1. Natural Remedy
If there is a lot going on in my life, I will pull out my little yellow tin of RESCUE Pastilles. RESCUE pastilles are great for a little pick me up when you are feeling stressed to regain inner calm. You can find RESCUE products at Walgreens, CVS or even Whole Foods. Before buying, be sure to download this coupon HERE.
RESCUE has several products to help you stress less, stay calm and in control. Some of their nautral/homeopathic products include RESCUE Pastilles, RESCUE Sleep Liquid Melts and RESCUE Pearls. These products were developed by a doctor and are gentle and safe, non-habit-forming and with no side effects. RESCUE has been trusted for generations and is used by millions worldwide.
2. Extra Sleep
Another way to relieve stress in my life is to get a full 8 hours of sleep when I can. I know this is hard to do when the kids are sick, or if you are trying to get some rest and you keep hearing coughing from the other room. If my kids are sick and I know they are going to be waking up a couple times throughout the night, I try to go to bed a couple of hours earlier. I like to pick up the house at night, spend time with my husband or even catch up on the blog… but, getting rest when I can is more important and everything else will need to wait. An extra hour or two of sleep in just one night can make a world of different in how you feel (and your stress levels) for the next day.
3. Ask for Help
When the kids are sick and I know I am out of steam and can’t do it anymore, I ask for help. I will ask my husband to take sleep shifts with me if a child is up half the night. Or, I’ll ask him to take off work for a day if I am sick and I just can’t care for the kids (who may also be sick). I may need help with my husband or parents in taking or picking up one child from school if the other needs to stay home sick. You and your husband need to be a team, getting through a houseful of sickies by working as a team is the ONLY way to do it!
Last month, Autumn was home sick from school, but I knew she was on the mend and would be back at school the next day. I had already canceled a doctor appointment for myself once and here she was home sick from school for my makeup appointment. I asked my parents to watch her, so that I could make my appointment. Then, I asked if they would mind watching her a couple more hours after my appointment, so that I could get the house cleaned up, go to Hobby Lobby for retail therapy and I even went for a run… I had been home with sick kids for several days and I just needed a break. Luckily, they were more then happy to watch her and I was able to catch a well needed break. I can’t express how much I needed that break and how it helped me get through the rest of the day.
4. Exercise
Exercise is also a great stress reliever, but it can be tricky to fit in when the kids are sick. As I mentioned in tip number three, I asked my parents to watch my daughter after my appointment so I could fit a run in since I knew she was feeling much better. When my son was home sick for six days, I would run on the treadmill or do a workout dvd when I knew he needed time to rest. Just getting my heart pumping for an hour helped renew and refresh me for the rest of the day. Taking care of your kids is the most important, so if a workout isn’t possible… then, try again the next day.
5. Relaxing Activites
Doing a relaxing activity such as a bath or reading an engaging book can also be a great way to relieve stress. I enjoy keeping some extra special bath bombs and soaps just for when I need an extra bubbly hot bath. I may light candles and read a book while I soak or even enjoy a hot cup of tea or a glass of my favorite Pinot Noir. Sometimes just laying in bed and praying and talking to God helps me to relax.
I would love to hear any tips you have to manage stress! Please leave them in the comments if you would like to share them.
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I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.
