Any tips to help with stress?!

[Ella1979]

Everything seems really stressful at the moment and I constantly feel strung out. My 18 month old has just started walking (not stressful, but increased mobility means needing more than 2 eyes in my head), my 3 year old won't listen (this is getting really stressful as she never does as she's asked and sometimes blatantly does the opposite, and she seems to enjoy making her brother cry) and to top it all, I have an assessment at work on Thursday, which is making me feel stressed. The work thing is the worst as I could have avoided it if I'd been more assertive, but I've been so tired lately I just went along with it and now have caused myself more worry. I haven't had any kind of test/assessment at work since I qualified in 2009, so this is really scary!

Sorry, it's all a bit of a poor me post, but I just feel so stressed and worried about everything. Any stress-busting tips gratefully received!

 

[flisstebbs]

Sorry to hear you're having such a rubbish time. I don't know how I'm going to juggle 2 LOs, so hats off to all those doing it plus working out there.

Its a bit crap, but sometimes "allowing yourself" to feel stressed and take a break is ok? I've been better since I decided that it's ok sometimes to just get stressed out/house to be a tip/kid to be a bit grubby by the end of the day etc.

I read a really odd tip recently that said if the kid(s) are stressing you out to the point of going mad then to just simply lie down on the floor. I tried it the other day and it did weirdly help loads, as Jess stopped being a tantruming drama queen, and just came to investigate what I was doing. We both ended up in fits of giggles and the rest of the afternoon was better.

The work assessments always suck. My job seems to involve endless jumping through various hoops, but they still get me worked up. Focus on how it will feel on Friday when its behind you? That helps me. I can forget life will exist afterwards when I get really uptight about something.

 

[Ella1979]

Thanks so much for replying. Yes, I'm trying to focus on Friday - I have annual leave too, so will have a lovely quiet day all by myself (kids at nursery). At least the assessment is at 7.30am, so by 8.30am it'll all be over! Ridiculous all the worry I put myself through but I've always really cared what other people think of me as an employee/colleague, so always want to do my absolute best. Also have appraisal coming up and trying to find the time to get my competencies and CPD done. Sometimes I wonder if it would be easier to be back working as a secretary!!!

I'm going to try laying down next time my two are playing up!

Thanks again

 

[TTT]

Flisstebs idea sounds really good!

When I feel overwhelmed and stressed I take a minute to break down my problems in my head, prioritise them, and tackle one at a time - and like flisstebs says if it means you have an untidy house for a day (or week lol) so be it, there are more important things.

We also visit the baby-relievers (my parents) when we need help or a break lol.

 

[littlemonkey]

Take a deep breath, make a cup of tea and tell myself this won't last forever!!

My other favourite is asking myself will any of this matter in a hundred years, which of course it won't so it's obviously not that important in the grand scheme of things.

I must admit since finishing work and going on mat leave, I feel like a huge weight has been lifted from my life and I have been asking myself why I've been so worried about so much stuff that now just feels so easy. So I get where you're coming from with work!!