Over Stressed!

by Kris Pitcher

It would be nice if our stress levels remained relatively even all the time. Even in a good way. This. Does. Not. Happen. If I've let the air out of your balloon, well - wake up!

Our lives are stressful. We juggle jobs, households, families, career paths, kids, educations, spouses, finances, parents and a lot of responsibility. Pile on our emotions, the occasional injury or dealing with a cold or allergies...and you might find yourself curled up in a ball.

Managing work-life balance is a place to start. There's a reason hotels would like us to check out at noon. I suggest checking out of your day at noon as well. Give yourself a break in the day for a meal, a walk, a rest. It doesn't matter, just check out of work. Boundaries. Maybe we should call it work-life boundaries.

Do what's important. With so much to juggle, something's got to give. Me? I quit sorting darks from lights in the laundry. The laundry is clean. And I'm fine with it. How can you maximize your time with your household chores?

Now, I'm not suggesting you wash the dishes while you're in the shower here, but there are ways you can save yourself some time. No one cares if the pillow cases are ironed...for example.

Take care of yourself. Make time for you. Eat well, exercise, and drink plenty of water. Get enough rest. These things go a long way when it comes to keeping stress at bay.

Finally, control what you can control...which is very little. Most of what you lay awake worrying about will never happen. Choose how you react to information, and when stressful situations arise, deal with the facts. Try to leave the emotions out of the equation. It's not easy, and it requires your presence of mind.

Take a deep breath when life gets completely crazy. Now keep breathing, and give yourself a break. You can keep doing this!