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Hi everyone – it is me, Darla with today’s post. Now that summer is here, kids may be home or schedules have changed or it is just too hot outside – life can get a little more hectic and stressful for people. Of course, if you are like me – often you tend to accept the stress as just another part of your life you manage. Knowing this is not truly the healthiest way to live, I started to look around for simple things I could to help minimize the stress in my life. Here are some of the simple quick tips I found that might be helpful to you too:

Become comfortable saying “no” to non-essential task requests from others.
If spending more quality time with your family is the goal, then taking on a new volunteer activity or non-essential task may not be the most ideal thing to do for you right now. Avoid the stress that can come about when you start adding more to your plate and of course, do not let the guilt from not doing it all get to you. Remember, saying “No” to someone else is saying “Yes” to yourself.

Learn to delegate effectively.
Are your kids old enough where they can take on simple chores like washing dishes or doing laundry? Is there another mother who you could trade off on carpooling your kids to their daily activities? Learning to ask for help is not always easy if you are used to doing it all but sometimes you just have to accept you are not superwoman! Delegating even a few things can do wonders in helping you reduce your stress levels.

Find some humor.
Hit the randomizer button on your favorite web comic, engage in cube warfare with a co-worker, or check out a website that offers a “Joke of the Day” service. Laughter really is the best medicine, and if you can laugh away the stress, your outlook for the rest of the day will be a lot more rosy.

Participate in shared activities that focus on someone else.
As a family, spending time working in a local soup kitchen, helping those less fortunate, can reduce stress. This type of activity causes people to “lose” their own stressors by focusing on the lives of others (who may have stressors far in excess of their own), spending quality family time (i.e., a worthwhile, shared activity), and exposing your children to the value of caring for their fellow human beings.

Listen to relaxing music, select a relaxing color palette, and use relaxing scents throughout the home.
Enjoying something simple like music or lighting a few candles cam do wonders if you are stressful.

Exercise with the family.
Instead of opting for the gym or going it alone every time, why not make exercise a family activity? Try group activities such as biking, hiking, swimming or walking. You end up killing two birds with one stone – you get the benefits of the physical activity AND time with your family.

Have faith.
Count blessings. Look for the positives. Being grateful for what you DO have is half the battle. When I come home after a long day of work, stressed and tired, I can be resentful, or I can be thankful that I AM working and that I have a family to come home to. There are always positives… look for them and appreciate them.

It is inevitable that we will have some stress in our life but if you can try to manage it – you will be a much a happier person. So go ahead – try one or all of these and post back if they were helpful. Take care and enjoy your day!