HELPING STRESSED PARENTS & BUSY PROFESSIONS SURVIVE DIFFICULT TIMES
Many of us may dream that our lives run harmoniously most of the time. However, this is often more of an ideal, especially during times of crisis. For the most part, the stress is hard on parents and professionals. The fact that we now have to play, work, and relax under the same roof even makes it harder. So now, when an unprecedented time like the “pandemic” happens, what can you do? Do you fall apart and cry, go with the flow, or push against the tides?
Remaining calm is not easy, but it is the healthier and more valuable response. Here are some tips and tools to help stressed parents and busy professionals regain some form of balance and ease during difficult times.
Breathe:
One of the best immediate solutions for tackling tension and stress is to take a deep breath. Breathing revitalizes the body’s natural relaxation response and slows down breathing to let more oxygen in; this minimizes stressful feelings. To apply this technique, sit or lie with your back straight in a comfortable place; you can support your back with a chair if you are sitting. Now, have one hand placed on your chest and the other on your belly below the rib cage. Breathe in through your nose 4 times, inhaling and exhaling deeply. As you exhale, the hand on your stomach should gradually deflate. Do this for approximately 3-5 minutes. You’ll end up feeling better after every session, and coping with the immediate pressure becomes a lot easier.
2. Meditate:
Meditation is another way stressed parents and busy professionals can move from chaos to calm during a pandemic. There is a helpful form of meditation called mindfulness meditation which involves focusing on the present moment. Your attention is focused on your breath, the flame of a candle, a repeated mantra or phrase, or on an object in the room. Increasing mindfulness is correlated with decreased rates of stress, anxiety and depression. That is why this form of meditation is very practical for staying calm instead of chaotic during a pandemic. Sit up straight and comfortably on a cushion or in a chair in a quiet environment. Find a point of focus either on an object, your breath, a flame, the wall ahead of you, etc. Focus on it without judgment and when you find your mind straying, gently guide your attention back.
3. Practice Visualization:
There are many visualization techniques you can find online to help you practice on your own. When you enter a state of relaxation by imagining yourself in a peaceful environment, you are visualizing. Imagine you are sitting comfortably in a relaxing setting like a beach, a rainforest, or a special place you knew as a child. Engage all of your senses and envision this peaceful place. Enjoy the way it sounds, smells, or feels against your skin. Explore this place clearly as you continually relax and let your worries slip away.
4. Journal Writing:
Writing your thoughts down in a journal is a form of self-care. Reaching for a notebook and pen to record your thoughts and worries is highly therapeutic and stress-relieving. When you find yourself getting caught up in an unfortunate, distressing or crisis environment, it can be helpful to get your thoughts out of your head and onto paper. Objectifying your thoughts on paper can help you understand your thoughts and feelings, solve problems, minimize stress, and will help you come up with solutions to difficult issues. In addition, writing your thoughts, especially amid chaos, helps you find ways to learn from the situation, improve, and become better at handling unprecedented circumstances without losing your sanity.
5. Self-Awareness:
Become a careful observer of your thoughts and feelings by tuning in to the emotions you feel. You know yourself best, so you can feel when you are overwhelmed, anxious, frustrated, stressed, or ashamed by how emotions play out on your senses. For instance, blushing could signify embarrassment, while feeling tightness in your chest or being short of breath can point to anxiety or distress. In the same way, tightening up your fists or clenching your teeth could symbolize anger or frustration. So know yourself and recognize when you are slipping into stress so you can control your emotions best without making any irrational decisions.
6. Laugh:
Laughter is great medicine, and it can help to relieve stress, ease anxiety and depression, among other ailments. When you throw your head back for a great laugh, it can lift your mood and shift your perspective. Laughter has many other benefits, which include minimizing pain, the ability to help you fight disease, lower anxiety, and build connections with others. So when the chaos of life gets you down, or stress begins to build up, find something that makes you laugh. This should help you shift out of the worrisome mood and help you get back on track with your life sooner than you’d expect.
7. Coloring Books:
The Mandala is a popular type of adult coloring book with concentric circles and geometrical patterns. This book, according to Carl Jung, one of the earliest psychiatrists and psychoanalysts to ever study the therapeutic effects of adult coloring books in the early 20th century was found to help several anxiety patients de-stress, become calmer and more focused.
It is believed that when the mind is made to focus on a creative task such as coloring books and pages, worrisome thoughts and imaginations tend to fade away. As the creative mind recreates, feel-good neurochemicals such as serotonin activate positive feelings of wellness and serenity. This creates the perfect mood you need to be in to effortlessly tackle your everyday problems without letting stress lead you to make irrational decisions. Relax and have fun.
I hope you find some of these tips and tools helpful. Do you want to learn more and experience some of these together?
FREE 3 DAY PROGRAM:
I am offering a FREE 3 DAY PROGRAM to help stressed Parents and Professions find balance and calm out of all the chaos we have experienced over the last 15 months. Sign up on my mailing list to be included in this Free 3 Day Program. Learn how to meditate and be more mindful, practice self-care and compassion, journal prompts, and much more!
Remember to sparkle & shine!
Peace, love & light,
Aedeen