How stressed are you really? Take this quiz to find out. Mark as many of the items below that you identify with. _ Calgon! Take me away!
What would you give for a vacation right now? If you named a body part, then youre feeling too stressed. _ Ive fallen and I cant get up.
Is this how you feel in the morning when the alarm goes off? _ Plop, Plop, Fizz, Fizzoh what a relief it is.
Are you experiencing stomach aches, headaches, or other physical signs of stress? _ Take my kids, please!
Are you enjoying your children, or are you ready to sell them on eBay? _ To the Moon, Alice!
Is your love life giving you warm fuzzies or cold pricklies? _ I cant believe I ate the whole thing!
Are you overeating to try to feel better about yourself? Howd you score? 1-2 Not too bad. Youre feeling kind of overwhelmed, but it looks like youre handling things fairly well. Take some extra time for yourself during the holidays to stay in balance. 3-4 Youre walking a fine line right now. Add another stressor to your life and you risk heading toward big time stress. Its time to tackle it now. 5 6 Uhhh. Youd better keep reading. Stress Reeks Havoc
Even low levels of stress can exacerbate or possibly cause these physical illnesses: Heart Disease, Stroke, Susceptibility to Infections, Gastrointestinal Problems, Diabetes, Muscular and Joint Pain, Headaches and Migraines As well as these psychological conditions: Memory and Concentration Difficulties, Sleep Disturbances and Depression And, yes, some days I feel like Im suffering from all of those! Thats when my body is trying to tell me, Nicole youre way out of balance! So, if youre just not feeling as well as you should, then really reassess your stress levels and visualize what that stress is doing to your health. Spending Time on Yourself is NOT Selfish. Working Yourself Sick Is. I know, I know. Youve heard it 100 times before and youll hear it another 100 times. You know why? Because its true. You need to have balance in your life. And, believe me, I battle this on this a daily basis, so I know its hard to find balance when you are driven to succeed at being a WAHM. But, even when your to do list seems insurmountable, you still need to take care of your health (both physical and emotional). But, you know what? You can do it. Start by choosing a hobby. Scrapbooking, guitar playing, belly dancing, reading, pampering, wood working, gardening, poker. Just find something outside your work that makes you happy. Yadda yadda. I can hear you brushing me off. Hang on a second and keep reading. Think of the example you are setting for your children. If you have little interests outside of being a WAHM and are feeling stressed and unhappy, your children will follow in your footsteps. Strive to treat yourself as youd hope your children would treat themselves. Youre teaching them every day how to grow up to be happy adults, but the words will mean nothing if the example isnt there. Try to have a night out with your sweetie or with some girlfriends every few weeks. They deserve a happy Mommy. Meds: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly Doctor-prescribed medication and self-medication are two methods of stress management. Neither of these options is good or bad. Just like everything in life take it in moderation. If you enjoy an glass of wine after a long stressful day, then enjoy it guilt free. (cheers!) If your doctor prescribes a medication that you need to get through a difficult time, then by all means you do what is best for you. Or, if you enjoy herbal remedies, teas and aromatherapy for relaxation, then go for it! However, one of the common effects of stress is over-medicating or self-medicating. So, if you find yourself relying heavily on alcohol or medication (either doctor prescribed or self-prescribed) or you begin taking illegal drugs, then talk to your doctor about it as soon as possible. You deserve to enjoy your life not miss out on it. Sometimes we have to be Sneaky Sometimes the best thing for your business is to get away from it for a bit. Seriously, I have my best inspiration when Im NOT at my computer which is a little scary since my businesses are online. Treat yourself to 15 minutes to yourself even if you have to tell your husband youre having bathroom issues in order to get undisturbed time. (shhhh Ive done this.) I wonder how surprised my husband would be to find me sitting on the floor of the bathroom wrapped in a blanket, reading a book? I know, its too much information, but Im trying to show just how important it is to have that time to yourself. Im not promoting deception in marriage, but if you have to stretch your time in the bathroom, dont feel guilty about enjoying the freedom. So, make an effort today to start stealing moments of happiness. Life is not a dress rehearsal, enjoy every second that you can! |
