2 Simple Ways to Reduce Stress Week 4

So here we are, hopefully you’re feeling less stressed as you’ve tried putting into practice some of the stress management tips that have been suggested over the past couple of weeks. I have been practicing these exercises and have found them to be very helpful. Anyone who knows me knows that I am a strong type A personality and I like for things to be and go a certain way (rarely happens like I had planned because after all I do have 3 children). The second strategy we will talk about is decluttering your living space! There is a phycological reason why a realtor will have you clear your space of all clutter when selling your home. A clutter free space is inviting and does not feel closed up. Practice these stress reducing strategies this week and fall in love with how you feel.

This week one of the strategies to focus on is letting go and accepting things we cannot change. This is a difficult one for me personally (and it will be for those of you type A perfectionist types) but when you start to practice this your burden will suddenly become lighter. Recently my eldest son has really put me to test on this with his 4th grade school project. He had procrastinated up to the last moment. I finally made him sit down, set on helping him get a good grade but he didn’t want my help. After enduring several fits and starting to loose my temper I had to step back and ask myself these important questions:

Is this my responsibility?

Is me being stressed out and angry going to change anything (other than my cortisol levels)?

Why am I trying to take this on?

Answering the first two question with No helped me step away after all this was his project not mine. I was not going to do it for him or allow his bad attitude to cause me to loose my cool. That was REALLY hard to do but I felt so much better afterwards. When we are able to let go of things that aren’t even ours to account for (or within our control) then we are free to deal whole heartedly with the things that are.

The second strategy this week is to start decluttering your living space! Our homes should be a place to relax and enjoy down time in but many of us have filled our homes with excess. Instead of enjoying time with the family when we are home we are constantly picking up and cleaning stuff. This may seem like an overwhelming project if you look at your house as a whole but don’t do that! Set a timer for 15 min each day and pick a small spot, like a junk drawer or a toy box. Use 2 baskets one for things that can be trash or goodwill donations the other for what you NEED to keep. To help you with this process ask yourself:

Is this broken?

How long have I not used/needed this item?

How many of these do I already have?

You will find it is easy to start giving away things that have accumulated that really aren’t necessary. Go through a small area one day at a time. You will start feeling a sense of accomplishment as rooms, drawers, closets and garages begin looking more organized and less cluttered. The stuff we have in our home doesn’t make it a home, the loved ones who we spend time with make it a home!