Healthy Ways To Deal With Stress

Stress may be one of the most talked-about topics thanks to our overloaded lives. Stress doesn’t always stem from bad situations—it can stem from a career you love or from multiple family members or friends pulling at you. Those aren’t things you can just give up. As a single mom, you just need healthy ways to deal with stress so that you can continue enjoying what you love: living life.

Try Meditating

You may be thinking, “When does a single mom have time to meditate?” That’s a fair question. However, the act of meditation comes in many forms. Once you’ve created the habit, you can obtain the benefits of a quiet mind in a few short minutes. With practice, you’ll find meditation a go-to when stress hits.

You don’t have to wait for stress to take over before trying it out. Using an app, reading a book, or seeking a meditation center to learn the art of meditation and then creating a daily habit of it will have you handling stress better. Clear your mind, and the stresses in life may suddenly not seem so large.

Get Moving

There’s no avoiding it: exercise helps with a lot of things, including stress relief. We have just begun a new year, and exercising more is one of the most common new year’s resolutions. As a single mom, your life is full, and exercise may get put on the back burner. This year, stick with that resolution for the sake of your health and happiness. You deserve it.

As you sweat and feel good about what you’re doing for yourself, you’re bound to sweat your stress away as well. Try different types of exercises, and go with what you like best. Maybe it’s a walk around the block or a gym membership—whatever works for you. The best exercise program is the one you’ll do.

Journal and Make a List

Writing is another healthy way to deal with stress. Sometimes, as we journal our thoughts at the end of each day, the stress suddenly lessens as we start to see that some things are maybe not as bad as we imagined. Journaling in the evening is a great way to get those feelings out and help you sleep better.

Try making a list of priorities in your life. You and your children need to be at the top of the list. Decide what activities in life absolutely have to stay and what things can go. If your children are old enough, you can involve them in the list. You may be doing something in life because you think your children really want it, but after talking with them, you might find out they don’t. Maybe you thought they would be devastated without a homemade dinner every night but it turns out they wish they could have cereal once in a while! Prioritize and do what’s best for you to keep stress to a minimum.