Blog
Stress Happens
Tips to Deal
I don’t know about you, but springtime can get a little hectic. Between spring sports and end‑of‑year activities with the kids, planting season, and my occasional task of retrieving seed (and likely being in the wrong spot with the seed tender—per usual… eye roll), all on top of my regular responsibilities like work, meal planning, and keeping the house somewhat clean, my stress levels can climb fast.
I get it.
Just like most things in life, so much is out of our control. We can plan and feel prepared, but suddenly one kid’s baseball game is rescheduled and now conflicts with another kid’s practice. While juggling that, you might need to run an errand to pick up chemical… you know how it goes. The multitasking piles up, and so does the stress.
Self‑care goes a long way in maintaining and improving stress management. When you’re out there taking care of business, make sure you’re drinking enough water (coffee, pop, and other caffeinated drinks don’t really count), eating healthy foods at regular intervals, and getting at least six hours of sleep each night. Our moods become much more labile when our basic needs aren’t being met.
Another technique to use when you feel anxiety building is called square breathing. It goes like this: Inhale for a count of 1‑2‑3‑4. Hold for 1‑2‑3‑4. Exhale for 1‑2‑3‑4. Hold again for 1‑2‑3‑4. Repeat as many times as needed to calm your mind and nerves.
If anxiety or irritability is something you struggle with most of the time, there are medications that can help. These work by increasing certain chemicals in the brain that help us handle life’s curveballs a bit more smoothly.
Wishing you all a safe, smooth, and low‑stress spring.
Written by: Tracy Hansen
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Tracy Hansen