As another summer comes to a close, and as many of you make preparations for returning your children to school, it seems appropriate to consider the stress caused by enjoying the company of the little ones during summer – and how best to deal with it, now that a new season is just around the corner.
While having our children around for a few months can be wonderful, rather than sending them off to someone else who will mould their minds for us, a summer full of kids can be quite stressful. After all, most of our year is spent with other adults at work, rather than spending 24 hours a day with the kids. That can definitely take some getting used to. Then, just as we’ve accustomed ourselves to full-time parenting again, a new school year rolls around and we become part-time parents again.
To help you deal with the stress that can be caused by these life-altering transitions, I would like to offer a few stress reduction techniques that are easy to implement and which can be very helpful.
Some simple stress relief techniques
- Use your support system to back you up. Friends and family are invaluable when stressful situations arise. By sharing what you’re feeling with them you can go a long way towards relieving stress. Simply by getting things off your chest with someone who is supportive, or gaining a second opinion, or helping to brainstorm ideas and possible solutions to problem situations, you can dissipate much of the stress you’ve been experiencing all summer long. Remember the old adage; “A problem shared is a problem halved.”
- Exercise dissipates stress. Increased physical activity is a great stress reliever, as multiple studies have shown. If you begin to feel somewhat overwhelmed, an easy way to dissipate the stress is to hop on your bicycle and go for a ride, while the weather is still warm. This can also help you to lose those extra pounds you may have put on while spending more time at home with your kids.
Some practical stress relief techniques
- Complete that task you’ve been meaning to do all summer. While leaving things undone can be stressful, repetitive motion and physical activity are great ways to lose yourself and let the unconscious mind find solutions to stressful problems for you. Set aside some time to get out and weed that garden like you’ve been meaning to; or clean out the garage; or begin putting away the patio furniture. Not only will finally completing a task bring an increased sense of satisfaction, you may also discover that, while you were working instead of pondering alternatives, your unconscious mind has discovered exactly how to handle the problem your conscious mind was struggling to overcome.
- Try some daily meditation. By letting go of your conscious thought processes, and by letting yourself find solutions unconsciously, you will discover a wonderful stress relief technique. By allowing yourself to focus in the moment; in the now; in simply being present, you free yourself from the past and the future, and the problems you perceive in them.
“Some people find that the act of ‘trying to relax’ makes it even harder. If it helps, think of relaxation as a time of total non-judgment. This means that when you notice thoughts or sensations in your body, just observe them, rather than making them mean something. There is no scorecard or “right” way to relax. In fact, just allowing yourself to sit and be, without forcing anything, can help you feel calmer and accept the moment.” ~ Cheryl Hitchcock
Overcoming the stress of being a full-time parent for the summer can be very challenging for some. If you are one of these people, try one – or all – of the above stress relief techniques. If the first one you try doesn’t work, move to another. The pay-off can be wonderful.
If you need help finding stress relief, or reducing the stress in your life, I am available re to help you. Contact me today.
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