• All parents find themselves at one time or another in a state of utter stress. Whether it’s related to kids, home, work, school, family, or any combination we all face it. I have yet to meet a mom who was consistently de-stressed. I consider myself a pretty laid back and relaxed person, but even I have my moments of stress. I have found that there are several ways to get rid of the tension that stress brings us. Of course you could always go to the spa and get yourself a massage, but who has the time or money for that on a regular basis? Surely not me! Here is how I cope and de-stress my day.

    I devote 10 minutes a day to sit in the quiet

    1. My first stress killer is exercise. Exercising has a way of clearing my mind and making me feel rejuvenated. Sometimes I’ll just take ten minutes out of my day to work in some aerobic exercise. Or I’ll grab the dumbbells and do a few reps. It makes me feel better. Plus, its good for me too. Win, win.
    2. Reading. Reading just for fun. Preferably a book with lovable characters that make me laugh. Laughing always makes me feel better.
    3. Snuggling my kids, or my dog. Sounds crazy, but that physical contact with such cute little things makes me happy too.
    4. Quiet time. I devote 10 minutes a day to sit in the quiet. Before my kids get up and the day gets started. I just sit in the quiet and think. Anyone can do this for 10 minutes.
    5. Cook. This may only work for me, but cooking is soothing. Following a recipe is great because there are instructions and everything is in order. No chaos. However, if cooking isn’t your thing, find something that is. Hobbies rule.
    6. Stretches. Take a few minutes just to stretch out your muscles the next time you are feeling overwhelmingly stressed. You will be surprised at how instantly you start to feel better.
    7. My final combatant to stress is getting a good nights sleep. Sometimes that means leaving something undone, or a TV show unwatched. The reward is how great I feel the next day.

    Happy De-stressing!