STRESS!
It’s almost the end of the school year.
Damn, what are you going to do with the kids over the summer?
Billy wants Minecraft camp and Sally wants hockey camp.
It’s HOW MUCH? And you want it now?
Soccer has started.
Swimming lessons too.
All this also means running 2 kids around town. All. Fucking. Week.
Oh? You don’t feeeeel like going today? Too bad! You don’t get to stay home and play Plants vs. Zombies!
Fuck, what do we feed them?
Hold the phone, I have to work overtime? AGAIN?
How is Sally going to get to her game and Billy to his? Sure, hubby’s awesome, but I do want to spend time with my family!
Does this sound familiar?
Stress plays a huge role in our lives, do you know how to deal?
Stress symptoms may be affecting your health, even though you might not realize it.
You may think illness is to blame for that nagging headache, your frequent insomnia or your decreased productivity at work. But stress may actually be the culprit.
But it can also affect your mood!! Ever feel these when you’re stressed out?
- Anxiety
- Restlessness
- Lack of motivation or focus
- Feeling overwhelmed
- Irritability and/or anger
- Sadness and/or depression
Common effects of stress on your behavior
- Overeating and/or undereating
- Emotional outbursts
- Drug or alcohol abuse
- Tobacco use
- Social withdrawal
- Reduced motivation for self-care
How to manage your stress before it manages you:
- Regular physical activity
- Ensure you get enough sleep
- Eat healthy meals
- Relaxation techniques, such as meditation, yoga, tai chi or get a massage
- Keeping a sense of humor
- Socializing with family and friends
- Setting aside time for hobbies, such as reading a book or listening to music
You may have to decide to make a change if your current level of stress is not manageable.
If symptoms continue, see your doctor. Your doctor may want to check for other potential causes.
Or, consider seeing a professional counselor or therapist, who can help you identify sources of your stress and learn new coping tools.
Very important!! If you have chest pain, especially if it occurs during physical activity or is accompanied by shortness of breath, sweating, dizziness, nausea, or pain radiating into your shoulder and arm, get emergency help immediately. These may be warning signs of a heart attack and not simply stress symptoms.
If you feel like you have too many balls in the air, decide which order the balls can fall and that’s the order you need to evaluate what needs to change in your life. Maybe you need to not overschedule your kids! Come home have a BBQ and go for a family bike ride.
Still working OT? Choose 2 nights a week that you’ll work extra late and get your butt home to your miracles for supper!
