Stressed and Anxious? 7 Tips For Busy Moms

Are you feeling stressed and anxious all the time? Do you wish you could ask YOUR mom to take care of you the way you take care of everyone else? If you’re a busy mom and, of course you are, then you have to value yourself as highly as you value your best friend. You need to schedule personal time for yourself, and make it a priority.

Your identity is not just “mother” or “wife.” You are a separate entity from every other person in your house, not an extension. If you hold your ground and demand time for yourself, others will respect your request. Everyone needs some “alone” time. You need time to think and reflect. Time to read or just stare into space. Caring for other people exacts a heavy toll on your mental and physical well-being.

A car needs to be refueled or it will cease to run. Is a person any less needy than a car? Emotional issues can develop when you don’t take time-out for yourself. If you let the stress and anxiety build up without a release, something inside will eventually snap. Take control of your life by taking care of your needs every single day.

If you need to sit in a room quietly for 20 minutes, just do it. There is no need to feel shame or embarrassment. You deserve time away from the household chaos. When you get recharged, you release stress and anxiety, and become a calmer, more effective parent.

Stressed and anxious? Follow these 7 tips:

• Get up 30 minutes earlier than anyone else. Use this special time to read, drink a cup of coffee, take a bubble bath, call a friend, exercise, or whatever it takes to make you happy. Once the kids are up, the pace quickens and mom time quickly evaporates.
• Turn ordinary experiences into major events. When you take a bath, add candles, aromatherapy salts, music, and a bath pillow. Turn your bath into a spa. If you watch a movie, dim the lights, grab some popcorn, and curl up on the couch with your blankie.
• Ask your significant other for help. Kids love their mothers, but they need to bond with their dads, too. Let the kids experience dad without mom around. Go shopping, meet your friends for dinner and a show, or do anything else that you find enjoyable.
• To avoid stress and anxiety, prepare as much as you can ahead of time. This will enable you to complete your tasks in a leisurely manner. Fix lunches the night before. Place backpacks at the front door so your kids can grab them before they leave for school. The fewer things you have to do during the day, the calmer you will feel.
• Take exercise breaks. Although this is counter-intuitive, exercise actually gives you more energy, not less. You may not want to spend your precious mom minutes exercising, but your body and mind will love you for it. Exercise is a great stress reliever, appetite suppressor, and natural libido booster. Exercise will clear the fog from your brain, and enhance your memory. You don’t have to run a marathon to reap the benefits. Try jumping jacks during a television commercial or jog to the bus stop when you pick up the kids.
• Laugh at regular intervals. Keep a “humor” calendar cube on your desk or subscribe to a daily joke site. Laughing releases stress and can lift your spirits significantly. It also keeps the abs tight.
• Learn self-hypnosis. The fastest way to learn this technique is by using a CD or MP3 download. There are also numerous great books available on the subject of self-hypnosis.

Mothers do not need to be doormats to be loved. Once your family recognizes your needs as a person, your stress and anxiety levels will plummet significantly.

What do YOU do to relieve stress and anxiety?