4 Ways To Take Care of You When You’re Feeling Stressed

Being human is hard. We are hard on ourselves. Other people are hard on us. Then add in work, family, financial, and so many other stressers. It’s darn right HARD! I blog a lot about mental health and ways to give ourselves some much needed attention. This post is right along those lines. I’m going to share with you 4 ways to take care of you when you’re feeling frustrated. These 4 things are things you can do today, right now!

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Why is it important to take care of ourselves when we are stressed? Simple answer, so we become less stressed. To relax. To give some needed time for ourselves.

Why are we feeling stressed?

People, we are stressed! We are busy! We always say we have no time for this or that. There is an endless list of things to do or get done. It’s just a fact that we have too much going on in our lives. This leaves us feeling stressed out!

Why does stress happen?

There is so much going on in our lives that we put yourselves on the back burner. Or we just simply forget to give ourselves some attention. Or maybe we feel guilty for taking time for ourselves. I’m here to break that stigma. One small step at a time we can put ourselves first. You just might see some amazing things happen when you incorporate some self care into your daily life.

4 Ways to take care of you when you’re feeling stressed

This is the exciting part! Here is where you are going to learn 4 ways that you can do to take care of you when you’re feeling stressed. These 4 ideas can be super easy and totally free. Let’s dig in.

Try to breath deeply

I bet my kids could tell you to take a deep breath when you are feeling frustrated or stressed. Haha! Those little stinkers refuse to breath when they are emontinally freaking out! It’s so dang annoying. Why? Because when you take deep breaths you are forced to slow down. You are forced to think about nothing but breathing. It can clear your mind.

Taking 10 slow breaths is such a game changer! The next time you feel like you are about to explode than stop and take 10 SLOW breaths.

Follow these easy steps:

• Breath in deeply with your eyes closed
• Hold at the top for a few seconds
• Slowly breath out with an open mouth
• Hold at the bottom for a few seconds
• Repeat at least 10 times or until you can feel your body relax

Breathing is serisouly under rated, in my opinion. It’s simple, free, and you can do it anywhere. Maybe don’t close your eyes if you are driving or walking. 🙂 I suggest you try this out first when you start to feel stressed or frustrated next.

Take a self time out

I just love it when my kids tell me to basically take a time out. I tell them that I would love to go be alone. Haha! Sometimes I do, but most of the time it’s in a moment when I really shouldn’t just leave my kids alone for a fre minutes. You know, the stove is on and you are cooking dinner.

When you find yourself ready to explode it is time to remove yourself from the situation, if you can, and take a few minutes to breath and relax. You may be a hot head or speak before you think (I may or may not be one or both of these at times…). Those few minutes of solitude can make a big difference in the outcome of whatever is happening.

The other day I was about it loose it with my kiddos. I just couldn’t do it anymore. I told them I needed a minute and had my son keep an eye on my one year old. I went to my room, sat in my chair, and tried to breath to calm myself down. It was close to an anxiety attack. Then, wouldn’t you know, my 8 year old came to the door and brought her tantrum with her.

It hard to explain in that moment that I needed a break from her because she was stressing me out with her tantrum that she was having. It was a bad time for us both. But, I knew that if I didn’t remove myself from that situation promto I would not be able to help her or me. It was hard. I felt like I was abandoning her when she needed me.

Negative thoughts came into my mind and I was about to stop my self time out/self care to help her. Deep down I knew that was NOT the choice I needed to make. So her tantrum got worse. My anixety didn’t get better for a few minutes. But finally I was starting to calm down enough to go help her.

Times when we have to choose ourselves over those we love is such a tricky place to be. It’s also hard to think straight in those moments. But please try to take a breath and think about what will serve you and those around you best. Then try your hardest to do what is best for you first than others second.

Eliminate something off your plate

You do know that you do not need to do all the things! Right? Please repeat after me, “I don’t need to do it all. I don’t need to do it all. I don’t need to do it all.” Look in the mirror and say it as many times as you need before you start believing what you are saying. Maybe even get some finger pointing going on.

It sounds silly, you may feel silly doing it. But, hey no one is watching you. And what you say out loud to yourself you will start believing.

When you are stressed out to the max or maybe even just a little stressed, it is time to take something off of your plate. It is time to stop doing something that can be let go of. This something probably stresses you out. Maybe give you some anxiety or frustrates the heck out of you. STOP DOING IT! It’s not worth your time, your mental health, and you hating life for a bit while you do it.

While you are at it, the next time someone asks you for something or to do something you have every right to say no. When I started saying no to things I didn’t want to do or that I knew would stress me out I felt freeing! I felt like a weight had been lifted.

This does not make you or me a bad person. It makes us a person putting ourselves first and reaping the benefits of it. It makes us a person doing what is best for yourselves at that moment. Give it a try and see how you feel afterward.

On the flip side, if you are asked to help with something and you can mentally and physically handle it than by all means do it! I have found a lot of joy in being able to serve others in very small ways.

Veg out guilt free

When all else false you may need to just do nothing. Sit and stare out of the window at a pretty view that makes you smile. Plop yourself on the couch and turn your TV on. Watch something that makes you happy. Watch something that makes you laugh. Maybe get comfy on your bed or couch and let yourself sleep.

Doing nothing can be HARD! Your mind may be going a mile a minute and stressing you out. You may have kids that make it impossible to get some veg time. Start out small. Take 5 minutes to sit and just be. Try to relax your mind, meditation is a great thing to help you just sit and be. Put a show on your children and let them watch the dang show while you take a short power nap.

You are NOT a bad parent for doing this. Two of my girls are watching a show right this second while I get some work things done. It’s okay to let the TV “babysit” them for a bit while you do some self care.

Which one will you try today?

I am going to challange you to try one of these things today. Right now. You can pick to take some deep breaths, take a self time out, eliminate something off of your plate, or veg out guilt free.

Now do it. I will wait. 🙂

How did it make you feel? A little less stressed? A weight lifted off your shoulders? Like you can breath and feel calm? I’m so proud of YOU!!!!!!

Try to do something for yourself every single day. You can do this! It might be hard but you can take time for yourself and the world will not fall.

Good luck friend!

Xxx, Steph

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