5 SELF-CARE TECHNIQUES TO RELIEVE STRESS

Have you ever noticed how exhausted you feel when you are stressed or anxious? It’s no mystery really….chronic stress and anxiety can wear you out, make no mistake about it.

And yes, stress may be a part of our every day lives, but that does not mean that we cannot “fight” it…..and self-care can be a powerful remedy to restore your mind and body from this common foe.

I didn’t used to be such an advocate of self-care, or even worked to relieve my stress. Sure, I knew that it was important, but I was too strapped for time to worry about it. 

But the funny thing is, once I actually started to take just a little bit of time out for self-care, I started to become a calmer, less stressed mama, and person!

Now, I am 100% a believer in the power of self-care to fight and relieve stress. (As to how I finally turned the corner and decided to give self-care a try, well, that’s a story for a different day.)

If you find yourself teetering on the edge (though I hope you don’t let it get that bad before you look for some relief), try these 5 self-care techniques to help relieve your stress:

 

#1. Make your health a priority (it’s a MUST to relieve stress)

Stress is likely hitting you from multiple directions ~ work, kids, (home)school, family, neighbors, or any number of other various places. But this is no excuse for not taking care of yourself.

It’s important to establish your health as a top consideration. Find a balance between taking care of others and taking care of yourself.

Now I realize as a mama, this goes against every fiber of your being. But I have yet to meet a mama who was at her best when she wasn’t making sure that she made herself a priority too. Have you really ever met anyone like this? Or did she just appear to be?

If you really, really struggle with this, then at the very least, try out my FREE 4 minute stress-relieving framework, The Mama Calmer. It truly only takes 4 minutes and you’ll feel so much better after using it. You can pick it up by clicking the button below.

 

Download My FREE Framework Here

 

 

2. Understand the fundamentals of self-care

While you may already know this, it’s important to noted that self-care is a conscious effort to put yourself first.

It requires you to take time for activities that nourish and sustain your body, mind, and spirit.

• When you make taking care of yourself a priority, you build a lifestyle that focuses on healthy choices.
• Build self-care into your daily habits, such as eating a healthy breakfast and exercising (yes, it really can be that simple). 😉

 

3. Start with one healthy habit a day

If self-care isn’t a normal part of your life, it may be difficult to get used to it. However, you can start with one small habit and you’ll see positive changes.

• By implementing one healthy habit each day, you’ll begin your journey of taking better care of yourself. (And this can be the same habit each day if that’s what it takes to make it a priority and an “automatic response.” You can focus on a new habit once this first one is running on auto-pilot.)

• The habit can be a tiny change, such as eating oatmeal for breakfast or having a salad for lunch. The key is to pick something small that is easy to do. Then, you can build from this foundation and add other habits.

• If you try too many activities at once, you’re likely to get overwhelmed or discouraged…..and that’s the exact opposite of what you want.

 

4. Find your own self-care path to relieve stress

Find your own path to wellness. It’s easy to get caught up in the self-care practices that others use, but it’s more effective to find what works best for you.

• Find the tips and habits that work best for your lifestyle. (You may not have time to eat a healthy lunch or exercise every day.)
• There are other ways to take care of yourself. Be willing to experiment with different ideas to figure out which self-care practices work well for you.
• If you need some ideas to get you started, check out my detailed framework: “Decoded: The Calm and Joyful Mama – 9 Proven Secrets To Relieve Stress and Anxiety In Mere Minutes A Day, ” here. 

 

5. Continue growing

It’s not enough to add one self-care habit and move on. It’s a good start, yes, but to really manage your stress and feel your best, then more than one self-care habit is necessary.

Stress will continue to be a factor as long as you’re on this planet. That’s why it’s important to discover new self-care habits to alleviate your stress. (And this is exactly why I created “Decoded: The Calm & Joyful Mama.” I highly recommend checking it out here.)

• If it doesn’t already, over time, stress will come from all different directions. For example, if your job is going well, you may suddenly discover issues at home. If your family life is fine, you may be worried about getting laid off (this has personally happened to me more times than I ever thought possible).

• You may feel overwhelmed at times and as if you’re taking steps back. Nevertheless, continue forward and make self-care a top priority.

• As your life changes, your self-care habits will also change. You might find that oatmeal for breakfast starts causing stomachaches, or injuries prevent you from exercising every day (yep, it’s true). Self-care can come from multiple channels. You can change things up and still find success. 😊

 

I hope you can see what an important role self-care has in the battle against stress. It’s a vital part of staying healthy and maintaining wellness. I cannot stress this enough.

In fact, to me, NOT taking time for self-care, is actually more selfish……because if you want to be at your best for yourself AND your littles, then you MUST take care of yourself.

Mommy Martyrdom was not, nor never has been, the solution to maintaining a happy and healthy family, or self, despite what those around you may imply.

If you really, really think you don’t have time to start your self-care journey, then at the very least, pick up my FREE framework, “The Mama Calmer.” Four minutes is all you’ll need to reduce that heavy stress burden you’re carrying. Click the button below to get your free copy now.

Download My FREE Framework Here

 

Lots of love and gratitude to you mama. 💖 🤗 💖

Until next time, 

🦋 💜 🦄 🌈

 

*Legal Disclaimer – All information provided above is for educational purposes only. Information should not be construed as medical or legal advice in any capacity and is not intended to prevent, diagnose, treat, or cure disease.