According to the American Institute of Stress, 75-90% of all doctor visits in the United States are for stress related illnesses of some sort (Drah, 2021). Stress that is not well managed can cause headaches, digestive issues, sleep disturbances, etc.
So, what can we do with this knowledge to create a safe haven in our homes? Check out these five tips below to infuse more peace into your daily living routines…
5 Tips for a Stress-Free Household
1) Adopt a positive mindset
We always have a choice of the lens we choose to use when viewing a situation. Training your mind to look for the positive can greatly reduce the amount of stress you are experiencing. Your family will then benefit from a calmer version of you.
2) Go tech lite
The availability to communicate with someone at the touch of a button is wonderful; however, it is crucial to set boundaries for yourself or you will be consumed by the stress of it. It is okay (and even encouraged) to set a time limit for how much time you will spend on technology each day and to set a cut off time for answering texts, emails, etc.
3) Eat, sleep, and exercise!
When I am stressed, I often find that I am reaching for the things that are readily available and cooking for convenience, not nutrition. My family benefits when I take the time to meal plan for the week over the weekend, and I make sure that we are stocked with fresh fruit and veggies at all times. You know those huge bags of apples at the grocery store? We can go through six or seven of those in a week. My kids know that they are always welcome to grab an apple from the fruit basket on the counter (usually stocked with apples, bananas, oranges, or grapefruit).
We also have bedtime that we stick to, with the rare exception of a Friday or Saturday night. We spend plenty of time outside, and all of us are active. I am currently training for my fourth half marathon, and that time spent training is a great mental release for me!
4) Say NO!
This is one that I struggled with for the longest time, but I am slowly improving in this area. If it does not fit the goals of our family, and if it will end up causing more stress, we just say no. Say no to being scheduled every night, say no to those gatherings with toxic people that you only said yes to out of guilt, say no to make more room for the “yes’s” that will bring joy and peace to your family.
5) Make your health a priority
My son spent last weekend fishing with his daddy. He had a great time, and the bonding time for the two of them was important. However, he was tired after a busy weekend. Guess what he did the next evening after school was over? Absolutely nothing. It is important to leave space in your schedule for recovery time for your body.
Having a busy few days is fine. However, sometimes those things that bring us joy can also leave us tired. If you have a busy few days, just build a night into your schedule that your family can eat something easy for dinner and just lounge around together.