Twelve ideas for mum to help relieve stress
Stress is hard to contend with. It shows itself in different ways. For me its achy legs, grumpiness and tiredness. Do you have days where you just want to shut the world out? Days where your bed and duvet are much more inviting than the day ahead? Days where despite loving and adoring your children you would like to be sat in a relaxing spa miles away? Days, when going to work is the last thing you want to do? Don’t get me wrong, I do actually really love my job, but there are days when that can get too much as well.
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Am I normal? It is just being human? Being female? Being a mum to two small children? Or being a wife? Is it just to much stress and pressure?
Wives, mum’s, women many of us seem to carry the world on our shoulder’s. Some of us do it better than others. Me, maybe not so well. I have days in the car where I will scream and cry. Then compose myself when I meet people, I’m alright really!
I have a family I love, I have a job I enjoy. So, why stress? Life’s challenges, it would be boring without them. The need for more, the need to prove to myself that I’m actually worth something. Quite often I feel worthless. I’m mum, I cry, stress and nag. I’m mum, quite often ignored. Also, I’m mum organising bills, presents, birthdays, Christmas, Mothers day, Father’s day, Easter. Insurance, doctors appointments, washing, shopping, the list goes on.
As a mum, I often forget to look after me. Me who holds up everyone else. They say if a plane is going too crash then you should breathe into the mask first before passing it to your dependents. I’m sure I heard that somewhere. So, maybe us mum’s, women, home financial officers, do need to put ourselves first more. Our families need us!
So what can we do to relax, look after ourselves and ease the stress?
1. Put you feet up and relax with a mug of Herbal tea
2. Watch your favourite DVD
3. Listen to an audible book
4. Cuddle up with your favourite author book or Kindle US and Kindle UK
5. Listen to your favourite music
6. Walking in the woods or by the sea.
7. Gardening– taking your stress out on the weeds
8. Relax with Bath oils
9. Relax with a Bubble bath
10. I started my blog due to stress. Writing for me is a good stress reliever.
12. Trying to believe in yourself. Right now I am writing my first novel. Trying to keep positive and motivated as I type. 34300 words today. I am not half way yet!
We all know that stress is not good for us, though many of us feel it. Many of us continue to work on through it. The “I wants” from the children carry on and we do our best. I took my children to B and M this afternoon to buy a garden broom. I could have been in and out in minutes. Instead, I was chasing them up and down the aisles and explaining why I wouldn’t buy the things they wanted.
They were slightly better in Morrison’s buying some plants but not much better. So, I wanted to buy container plants. Trying to work this out, Google on my phone and the kids saying “what about this one?” Does not help to make a decision. I ended up with two Gerberas and two Hollyhocks, which now I’m home I’ve found out they grow too big for my containers. They will soon be moved to the flower bed. Yes, I love my children very much!
I’m sure many dads feel it as well. Some dad’s I’m sure do much more than others. Daddy here will get up in the morning, letting me sleep at weekends which is honestly a huge bonus, I need my sleep! The kids adore him as they have him just where they want him. Daddy often says yes to their wants, mummy is the bad guy!
So, what do you do to stay calm and relaxed? Do you feel as stressed as me? Do you ever feel the need to shut out the world? It’s not easy being a mum but so many of us do it and we do a fantastic, amazing job with it. We conduct our own appraisals. I’m sure some of us carry out our appraisals more than others. I did mine today whilst bathing my five year old, twice as covered in mud. Black face, then mud in her hair all due to coating herself in Sun cream. I had to run a separate bath to wash her hair. Yes, mum fail, I should have made sure that I applied the sun cream.
Yes all the joys of being a parent, as I bathed her I regretted not taking a photo, it was frustrating but quite funny really. Maybe one of those times where we should have been laughing rather than me kicking myself once again.
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16 Comments
fancypaperblog
True- enjoy now instead of always thinking of what we should have done. Very hard to do.
Just muddling through life
Yes, thankyou Orla!
johnrieber
I agree that blogging can indeed relieve stress…it’s a creative outlet that takes the pressure off of what’s bottled up inside!
Just muddling through life
Thankyou, yes writing does help to let the stress out!
Unbound Roots
Two of my biggest stress relievers are walking outside and gardening – so, I love that you included them here. I also enjoy painting and writing. Like John mentioned above, creative outlets do tend to relieve stress. Great post, Marian!
Just muddling through life
Thankyou Erin! The only painting I do is decorating and kids homework, drawing is not something I’m good at. Yes walking gives me time and space to think properly and yes bring creative is definately good for relieving Stress!
Rachael Stray
Some really great ideas here!
Just muddling through life
Thankyou Rachael!
lindasschaub
For me walking relieves stress – I feel like I begin with a clean slate in my mind. I love the blogging too except right now I’m quite far behind in Reader which proves to be stressful to me! You have a lot on your plate Marian – I don’t know how you do it all.
Just muddling through life
Thanks Linda! Yes blogging definitely helps. I’m honestly way behind in the reader. I rarely keep up with everyone. Right now im sat in my summer house after reading Jason and the golden fleece with my son. Then reading about a friends book that he is writing. I now need to sort the kids and hubby out and drive to my mother in laws to collect more Easter eggs, the fun never stops… X
lindasschaub
You have so much going on already with the kids/family and now the garden demanding attention, that your life is kind of like a pie … you must separate your day into pieces and that last slice is when you finally sit down and sit at the laptop to write a post. Whew!
Just muddling through life
Thanks, tonight I’ve been trying to write my story, but distracted by trying to find my 7 year old a new good condition second hand bike.. and yes the evening has vanished, I’ve typed about 100 words and the bikes are to expensive and about an hour away..
lindasschaub
And now it’s time to get ready to go to sleep and I’m finding that I’m spending more and more time here … up too late, hating to get up so early, when I used to get up very early as I went to bed earlier. It is hard to balance it all out – I work from home so that makes it easier and I don’t have kids. I have to hand it to you. 🙂
Just muddling through life
Thanks Linda. Lots of work! X x
Kathy @ SMART Living 365.com
Hi Marian! I’m just dropping by for the first time and wanted to say that I am in total awe at you and all mothers for all the time, love, effort and persistence it takes to be a mother in todays world. Not sure how you manage it but I do know that doing your best to take care of yourself as well is so very important. And even if we aren’t mums….all your tips about self-care are important. And however the day unfolds, I hope you get a chance to celebrate the upcoming mother’s day in a way that makes you smile. ~Kathy
Just muddling through life
hi, Kathy thankyou for your comment! Yes being mum is hard work! its then balancing their needs and demands and the needs of your household. trying to make time for you is hard but very important, thankyou! as you said even if you are not a mum, self care is still important as you need to look after yourself!