10 stress relief tips for mums
By: melissa
TAGS: chores health survival guide
What stresses you out? Is it a lack of sleep? Keeping on top of the housework? The state of your bank balance? Progressing in you career? Making sure your kids are well behaved? Being the best mum you can be? Finding time for you?
Just before Kleenex Mums launched, we ran a survey of over 4,000 mums and discovered that all of these things and more stress mums out. We broke down the results of the survey in our first eBook, titled Mum’s the word: a survival guide for the modern mum. If you haven’t had a chance to read it yet, it’s well worth a look for any mum who’s looking for tips on how to get the most out of motherhood.
But for now, if you’re after something more bite-sized, here are ten tips – courtesy of the eBook’s author Chantelle Ellem – to help make life easier and a lot less stressful for mums…
- Just say no!
Decide on your priorities and stick to them. Trying to do too much is a great way to build up stress, so don’t be afraid to say no every now and again, and again (if needed). - Give yourself time out
Take a little time out every day for yourself. Just fifteen minutes a day to yourself can help reduce stress and make a world of difference. - Call a friend
Your mum friends will understand if you haven’t called in weeks; they know what it’s like to be drowning in chaos and clutter. Steal a moment to give them a call to catch up and relieve some stress for both of you! It’s socialising without having to do your hair. Bonus! - Ask for help
When things pile up and you are feeling stressed out, don’t be afraid to reach out and ask for help, and when it’s offered don’t knock it back. Accept any offers of assistance; a helping hand makes life a whole lot easier. - Create a routine
Put together some sort of routine that works for you and your family, and stick to it. Creating order amongst the chaos helps clear the clutter that can sometimes occur in your mind – prevent stress before it happens!
- Turn off the TV
A great way to reduce stress is to make family time quality time. Turn off the TV during dinner, and talk to each other. Switch off from everything else, and switch on to your family. - Get rid of the guilt
Toss the mother guilt in the bin. Not as easy as it sounds? You’re right, but make an effort to take it easy on yourself. You’re doing a great job and guilt is very unproductive. - Keep it simple
Make it easy for yourself. Forget the three-course dinners and the fancy meals; the kids don’t like them anyway. Keep things simple and stress free, and make life easier for yourself. - Plan ahead
Take ten minutes on a Sunday night to plan your week ahead. Get out the diary and pencil in who is doing what, and who is going where. Staying on top of your week can stop stress before it happens. - Download this
Check out the free Kleenex Mums weekly planner. It might just help organise your life that little bit better. There’s also a great post from Nicole Avery on Time Saving Tips that could come in very handy too.
Have you got any tips that help you avoid getting stressed out as a mum?
melissa
Melissa has two full-on boys Oscar and Sam, who are on the go from dawn 'til well past dusk. She works for Kleenex and has helped create Kleenex Mums as a source of advice and support for mums just like herself trying to navigate the crazy, fun and rewarding world of motherhood. Melissa suffers housework aversion and looks forward to the day when she is once again able to sleep in past 6:00am. You can also find her on the Kleenexmums Facebook page.
Showing 2 comments
mayb stress is just another part of being mum
when i say no the guilt starts :)
Excellent tips Melissa. I need to JUST SAY NO more...