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Five Ways to De-Stress for National Stress Awareness Month

By Coady Egan, Public Relations Intern, Plymouth County 4-H April 16, 2015
The world is a stressful place. There are deadlines for work, kids to pick up from daycare, grocery lists to plan, and gosh I hope someone fed the dog today. After the winter that has barreled through New England, there is much to be stressed over between fences needing repair, yards in disarray, and everyone would love it if those last remnants of snow would just disappear already. Since April is National Stress Awareness Month and April 16th is National Stress Awareness Day, it is good to reflect on the stress we experience and ways to cope with it. There is good stress, which helps us get our work done in a timely manner, and the bad stress that leaves us overwhelmed and on the verge of tears. How can we manage this stress then to make the most of our days? Here are a few ideas, including some DIY projects. Find out some of the causes of stress. Take the time to write down as many of the stressful points in your life. This will help you to visualize the stress and will help when you manage the stress. There can be so many causes that the list will seem beyond expansive, but it’s best to write it all down! Remember to breathe too!

1. Make a calendar of upcoming events. This will allow you to prioritize deadlines, which are one of the biggest causes of stress. When it’s written out on a calendar, you are able to plan ahead. Include doctor’s appointments, sports games or practice, work deadlines, and anything else that is relevant. For me, I like to color code my events- purple is for my work shifts, black for doctor’s appointments, green for fun events like meeting with friends, and super important events are written in hot pink. It makes it more fun when you can color code! Alternatively, if you have multiple people in the family, choose one color for each person so it’s organized by individual!

2. Take time to meet up with friends! Find a babysitter and have a treat-your-self day (Parks and Recreation). Go to your favorite restaurant with friends you haven’t seen in a while, go shopping, get a manicure and pedicure or massage- Have it be your day! This will help you to have a great day away from the stress so you are recharged and ready to face your stress!

         a. Don’t have the time to go out, or do you prefer to do it yourself at home? One of the most popular DIY activities is making “Bath Bombs”. There are a number of recipes online that include baking soda, citric acid, corn starch, and salts and your choice of body-safe fragrance oil. These are fun and can be messy while making it, but the reward of a nice bath afterwards is totally worth it! One of my favorite scents is Grapefruit, but lavender may help with the de-stress process. Just search DIY Bath Bombs and you will get lots of great recipes.

        b. Another DIY de-stress home remedy is making facemasks. These are also super messy but fun to get the kids involved. Some involve the use of overripe bananas, yogurt, and avocado, which are obviously super fun to smash and mix together. When making these recipes, ensure that nobody has allergies and everyone can enjoy it! If the food is good for the inside, it is typically good on the outside. There are great recipes all over the internet and Pinterest.

4. Take time to go outside and take a walk. It could be a short walk around the neighborhood or a “destination walk” such as Bare Cove Park in Hingham, the Norris Reservation in Norwell, or on one of the many beaches along the south shore. My personal favorite beach to walk is Humarock Beach, which is a lovely walk with plenty of shells to be found. It’s great for the kids and there is a parking lot available past the bridge. Of course, there is an ice cream shop at the entrance to the beach for a lovely snack at the end of the walk. 

5. Take a few minutes to de-clutter at least one room in the house. Pick a room that’s achievable within an hour or pick one area that needs to be done. For example, work on vacuuming and mopping or cleaning out the cabinets in the kitchen. De-cluttering duties can also be given to the kids! Have the kids help out with cleaning windows, moving their stuff to their room, or organizing the toys back into the toy box. Make a small chart of duties and use check marks when the task is complete! Positivity goes a long way and a clean home or office space helps with productivity!

6. Spend a little more to get high quality, nutritious foods. Rather than the short convenience of a fast food burger (which honestly, we don’t like it’s just easy), wake up a few minutes early and make a fruit salad, or have some yogurt with berries. According to Food Network, some other good foods include banana and avocado, which are high in potassium to keep blood pressure low; carrots and celery which offer a crunch without being high in calories; or nuts such as almonds, pistachios, and walnuts for vitamins to keep your immune system functioning. My personal favorite is making guacamole and having carrots as the dipping tool, or having some dark-chocolate covered almonds. 

Stress can occur at home, work, and in the community. Some of the signs can be psychological, including distraction, memory lapses, and a lack of creativity; emotional, such as being defensive, lacking motivation, and irritability; physical signs like weight loss or gain, high blood pressure, muscle tension, or frequent colds; and behavioral signs including social withdrawal, poor time management, and relationship problems. If you are feeling stressed, schedule the time you need to make sure you are feeling your best and recognize both your strengths and limitations and try some of the above ideas to help you get through the stress. 

As a personal addition, my dogs and I are registered as a Therapy Dog team through Dog B.O.N.E.S. of Massachusetts. They absolutely adore visiting colleges for final exam de-stress days, which usually happen at the end of April. Taking even an hour to bring my dogs to a school so that students become less stressed is an incredibly rewarding experience and both the dogs and I thoroughly enjoy it. A walk with your own dog through the neighborhood can help lower stress, and taking time to play with them or snuggle on the couch can be a great way to reduce your stress. Of course, cuddling with the family cat or rabbit can also be a stress reliever!