Your Mind Your Body

In my previous post I talked about how many of us have gotten caught up in bragging about the amount of stress we are under as a way to impress people.  We count the number of hours we spend in the car, on the laundry, at our kids’ schools, at our desk, and paying our bills – - sometimes for the sole purpose of being able to prove to others how much we have to do.  I already wrote about why we do these things, so in this post I provide some ideas about how to STOP the cycle. 

• Keep your mouth shut.  If you find yourself with a group of people who seem to do nothing but compare notes on their stressful days, try staying out of the conversation.  If you just cannot keep your mouth shut, try changing the subject.  “Hey, I hear the Rockies are doing great in spring training this year.”  Sometimes it is good to have a few of these alternate conversation topics on hand just in case.
• Embrace idleness.   If it is tough for you to stop moving, being “productive,” or getting things checked off your to-do list, you may want to think more about the benefits and importance of relaxation.  Unstructured downtime can be an asset to your mental health.  It can help with stress relief, foster creativity, and provide time and space to connect with people around you.  You might want to try it out – and not feel guilty in the process.
• Check your priorities.  We all know that our families and friends should be more important than our jobs, but when was the last time you really took stock of your priorities and what makes you happy?  We are all going to experience stress on the job and in our homes at some point, but if it is all the time, perhaps some readjustments are needed.

photo by: Old Shoe Woman

Filed under: Chronic Illness & Disease Management, Lifestyle & Behaviors, Stress, Uncategorized, Women