Parents have many different ways of dealing with stress. Better than finding a way to deal with your stress, however, is doing things that will prevent it. By doing a few small things prior to and throughout your day you can avoid stress and stop it when you feel it creeping up on you, not only with your kids but throughout the other aspects of your life as well.
Getting up fifteen minutes earlier in the morning helps take the edge off the morning rush. Prepare for the morning as much as you can by packing lunches and picking out what you will wear the night before. Write down any appointments you have or errands you have to run and allow a breathing period between each task so you are not running around frantically the following day. Leave 15 minutes early for appointments in case of any delays like traffic.
Be prepared for the tasks of daily life. Do not wait until you are almost out of gas to refill the tank. Keep household must-haves like light bulbs and batteries readily available. If something is broken in your house, especially if it is something you use everyday, don’t just live with it being broken. Get it fixed or buy a new one to avoid the aggravation of dealing with it everyday. Set up plans with your kids when you go to crowded or busy places of where you will meet when you get separated.
Though it is a very hard habit to break, procrastination can cause a lot of stress. Though no one likes to hear the expression “Don’t put off until tomorrow what you can do today” when they are doing something at the last minute, it does ring true. Putting something off will only make it harder to do later. This is especially true if it is something you are dreading. Get it over with early and the rest of the day will be stress-free.
Keep your home and work space as organized as possible. If you put things where they belong and keep it neat now it will be easier to find the things you need when you are in a hurry. Instead of trying to do everything yourself, delegate tasks to other people at work and at home. That movie your daughter is watching is not going anywhere, so she can spare five minutes to empty the dishwasher. Don’t try to do everything at once. When you are working on a project, give it your full attention. If you are in a meeting with someone, give them your attention and avoid thinking about your grocery list. This way everything will be taken care of to its fullest extent.
