We all stress. And it’s not all bad. You see, there’s a sweet spot.
Too much stress can lead to anxiety and poor health. Too little stress can lead to boredom and depression.
But the right amount of stress can improve performance and health! Think about it this way:
- Too much stress: Waited until the night before your final paper is due and have to stay up all night and finish it. Oh, and btw your computer just crashed and lost the first few hours of your work.
- Too little stress: Your final paper is due in 4 months and you’ve already finished the book. You’ve got nothing but time, friend.
- The right amount of stress: You map out a schedule to read a few pages every day in time to finish the book a few weeks ahead of the due date, giving you time to write the paper and ask for feedback.
The right amount of stress keeps the brain alert! Don’t believe me? It’s science :) (here’s the research).
With that being said, it’s easier said than done to only stress the right amount. So, we want to chit chat about the top stressors and some ideas on how to cope with it.
Don’t Stress About Stress (A Few Parent Stressors)
The year 2020 has been, well, quite a year. A pandemic, an election, violence, and more. Just talking about that is raising stress levels around the world.
How about we talk about what stresses parents out?
- Time Alone. The good news here is that parents today spend way more time with their kids than they did 50 years ago. The other news is that parents get way less time alone, like less than an hour a day of ‘me time’. Being alone gives you time to build your mental strength and has been linked to increase happiness, better life satisfaction, and improved stress management.
Zen Tip: Create time to be by yourself AND do something you love. This might mean waking up a little earlier, or swapping time with your spouse, or hiring a babysitter. Get to know yourself again!
- Self-Doubt. This isn’t exclusive to just parents. But when it comes to parenting, there isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach to parenting. Every child has unique temperament traits and needs, so that means parents are constantly changing their approach, failing, and trying again. This can be discouraging. The next time you are doubting yourself, just remember that the fact that you are worried about being a good parent, means you are trying (and you care).
Zen Tip: The next time you are feeling extra low, do these two things, 1) Stop looking at social media/comparing your “worst” to someone’s “best” and 2) List out 3 times you killed it as a parent.
- Protective Instincts. Every stage of life comes with its own scares: when you have a newborn, you are worried about SIDS, then toddler time means childproofing the house, and then you have a teenager who is preparing to leave for college. Then there are the worries of wanting your child to make friends and excel in life. It’s no wonder parents lose sleep at night.
Zen Tip: Those protective instincts are there for a reason. Listen to them. If you find yourself overcome with worry, then that could be a sign of something more serious. Talk to your support group and/or your doctor. Be sure to find an outlet for your worries/frustations, whether that’s mediation, exercise, or self-care time.
- Relationship Demands. Lots of things change when you have a baby. Your sleep, your time, your sanity ;). Another thing that new moms experience are changes in relationship demands. As time and attention turns to a brand new baby, there is less energy for girlfriends, co-workers, and even spouses. Even though these are things moms desperately need.
Zen Tip: It’s okay to reprioritize your life. If you’re waiting for life to get back to normal you might soon realize that “normal” is now different. You might see your friends a little less and have fewer date nights with your spouse but still making time for them is important.
There are so many other things to stress about: health (yours and your family), finances, work, expectations, and so much more. Finding ways to destress will make you a happier person.
Find Your Zen (Drops)
We’ve talked A LOT about stress today, so let’s take a moment and talk about a few ways to find your zen:
- Laugh. Laughter increases “good” HDL cholesterol and lowers stress hormones. So, the next time you’re feeling uptight, look up a funny video or ask your kids to tell you a joke.
- Work. Yes, you read that right. Sometimes we stress so much about the “thing” that we think more than we do. If you’re stressing about potty training your toddler, maybe it’s time to just start.
- Change Your Environment. Go for a walk, hop in the car, or clean the clutter. We are still smacked in the middle of COVID, which means we are spending more time indoors and it might be getting to us. Sometimes a change of scenery is all we need.
If you’re still looking for ways to find your zen, then you should try our Zen Drops. This natural stress-reliever is non-habit forming and includes passionflower extract that helps increase GABA levels (calm state-of-mind).* It even has a natural chocolate flavor!
Get your zen on!
