Stress Management: 10 Tips For Working Mothers
xik...@yeah.net
for stress management. Many of those clients are working mothers who
fret about the demands on their time: children, husband or partner,
paid work and unpaid household chores all pull these women in
different directions. The day-to-day, constant small stressors leave
them inadequate physical and emotional resources to deal with life's
BIG stressors, such as personal and family health issues, financial
worries, etc. Frequently, these women lose any sense that they are
entitled to some "me" time, and therein lies part of the solution to
stress relief.
Typically, one of the things that I teach these clients is self-
hypnosis. There are quite a few self-hypnosis techniques that anyone
can learn in order to manage stress. But I also give my clients many
practical tips to give themselves some stress relief.
Here are 10 tips for stress management that I frequently recommend:
1. Aim for 7 to 9 hours of sleep each night. Our bodies do so much
restorative work while we sleep, and it's harder to deal with
emotional and physical stress when we don't have enough sleep.
Additionally, nights of uninterrupted sleep are better than nights of
interrupted sleep. So if you have very young children who wake you up
each night (for feedings, diaper changes, etc.), try to share those
duties with your husband or partner so that you get some nights of
uninterrupted sleep. And don't feel guilty about napping when you get
the chance! The energetic demands on your body as a woman juggling
numerous roles are enormous. The more you can cater to those energetic
needs, the more resources you will have for dealing with life's
annoyances and real stressors.
2. Prioritize and organize errands to minimize the running around time
you have to do. You may need to plan a "route" that takes you to the
post office, the dry cleaners, etc. once a week. And don't fret if you
forget to bring something with you - 99% of the time, it can wait
until your next trip. Also, minimize the number of times you go to the
supermarket by stocking up during fewer trips.
3. Take 10 to 15 minutes each day to just sit by yourself and let your
mind float. Turn the phones off, if possible. You can also listen to a
relaxation CD or a CD of your favorite music. Don't stress if you
can't achieve the "quiet mind" Buddhist monks can achieve. Just giving
yourself some "down time" each day is a very important stress
management strategy. Treat this down time like you would treat
brushing your teeth - as something you wouldn't dream of skipping! You
don't have to necessarily do it at the same time each day, as long as
you do it. Don't feel guilty about giving yourself this time. Not only
do you deserve it, it will keep you emotionally and physically
healthier and better able to give yourself some stress relief.
4. In the back of your mind, keep some sort of mental scale for
judging how stressful something is. I typically tell clients to think
of some minor annoyance, and then think of the
http://www.dontplayplay.com/html/Bothsexes/20061002/47031.html