How five household chores can reduce stress · 1. 'MINDLESS' DOMESTIC CHORES · 2. GARDENING · 3. CLEANING OUT YOUR JUNK DRAWER · 4. GROOMING OR
What to do today - Do the following starting today to launch your effort to reduce stress and free-up more time for relaxation at home: Work with your family to identify chores they can help you with. Help them get started in the areas you have identified. Never criticize, always encourage. Remember no one is perfect. Select some chores you can hire someone to do, like getting a student to mow your lawn. Identify some appliances that may make life easier for you. [...] Simplify entertaining – Use paper cups and plates at parties to simplify cleanup. Get help when you need it - A good bookkeeper, accountant, someone to mow your lawn, or clean your house can take a lot of stress off you. Prioritize and get it done – Prioritize what is important to you and get it done. Leave out chores that are not important, can be handled by another member of the family, or can be handled at a later time. [...] The first step to handling stress at home is teamwork with family or the people you live with. Good teamwork involves the concept of helping each other keep your living space neat and tidy. It begins with everyone doing an equal share of work depending on their skills and abilities. Good communication is essential for teamwork. By talking to the people around you and appealing to their sense of fairness, you can get their help in doing everyday chores and lessen your workload and stress.
It can be helpful to bucket your tasks and set a schedule for what needs to be done daily, weekly, monthly and yearly. For example: Creating a calm, happy environment is a start. But how you spend your time can reduce home stress even more. [...] Regular cleaning is important to remove germs in your home, and decrease the chance that someone gets a cold or flu. You can make it easy by keeping disinfecting wipes in the germiest areas of your house – such as the kitchen and bathroom. [...] Of course, it’s easy to stop seeing things that are right in front of you. So, when you’re feeling stress at home, be mindful of the items around you and seek out the ones that bring you joy. ### 3. Use essential oils for your home and self-care Smells matter! For example, fresh-baked cookies can remind you of good times with your family – plus they can cover up any funky smells like your son’s super-stinky socks.
Your home’s physical surroundings are closely tied to your peace — and can add to your stress. Try decluttering and keeping essential things. A clean home creates space for new memories to be made and a sense of calm to flourish. Find ways to integrate calming materials and textures, plants and cool, calming colors in your home — all of which aid in creating a sense of peace. Make Time for Fun [...] Research has shown that walking promotes the release of brain chemicals called endorphins that stimulate relaxation and improve your mood. Take a 15-minute walk around your office building or at a nearby park and feel that stress melt away during your lunch break. You will see benefits in your mental and emotional health, but it will also benefit you physically as you move your body and stretch your muscles after sitting at a desk all morning. ### Handling Stress at Home [...] Even if organization isn’t your strongest skill, implementing some structure and order to your workday can help greatly reduce your stress at work. For example, plan your day in the evening before you go to bed, so you aren’t rushing to eat breakfast on your commute to work. Or declutter your office or desk to give you more room to be efficient with your work. Taking small steps to be more organized throughout your day will help reduce overwhelming feelings and help you feel more at peace with
Over 3,000 people surveyed reported that regular housework was enough to decrease anxiety and stress levels.
Physical activity can pump up your feel-good endorphins and other natural neural chemicals that boost your sense of well-being. Exercise also can refocus your mind on your body's movements. This refocus can improve your mood and help the day's irritations fade away. So go on a walk, take a jog, work in your garden, clean your house, bike, swim, weight train, vacuum or do anything else that gets you active. ## Eat a healthy diet [...] Got more time? Try volunteering for a charity and help yourself while helping others. ## Assert yourself You might want to do it all, but you can't, at least not without paying a price. Learning to say no or being willing to delegate can help you manage your to-do list and your stress. Healthy boundaries are important in a wellness journey. Everyone has physical and emotional limits. [...] ## Keep a journal Writing down your thoughts and feelings can be a good release for otherwise pent-up feelings. Don't think about what to write — let it happen. Write anything that comes to mind. No one else needs to read it. So don't aim for perfect grammar or spelling. Let your thoughts flow on paper, or on the computer screen. Once you're done, you can toss out what you wrote or save it to think about later. ## Get musical and be creative
## Healthy ways to cope with stress Learning to cope in a healthy way can help reduce your stress. Taking small steps in your daily life to manage stress can have a big impact. Everyone manages stress differently. You can find and manage what triggers your stress and the right combination of healthy techniques that work for you. Take care of your mind. ### Gratitude works Woman with bandana drinking from a mug Take care of your body. ### Integration of physical and mental health [...] Everyone experiences stress, which is your body's physical and emotional response to new or challenging situations.1 This can occur when you face problems such as those related to work, school, health, and relationships. Feeling stress can be a normal coping response and can forge a healthy sense of our ability to solve problems. However, when the stress is long term, known as chronic stress, it can lead to worsening health problems.2 Stress can cause the following: [...] # Managing Stress If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, confidential, free, 24/7/365 help is available. Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org. See Resources for help. ## Key points A woman sitting in a garden, eyes closed, hands folded across her chest. Above her, a watering can is pouring a rainbow. ## How it impacts everyday life