Bringing Balance to our Stressful Schedules
Stress - noun (from dictionary.com)
1. the physical pressure, pull, or other force exerted on one thing by another.
2. a specific response by the body to a stimulus, as fear or pain, that disturbs or interferes with the normal physiological equilibrium of an organism.
Combine these two definitions and you get: A physical pressure, pull, or force that causes the body to respond in such a way as to interfere with its normal physiological equilibrium.
Is stress causing you to feel off balance? Your schedule could be contributing to your stress.
We are involved in activities that are admirable. But we often schedule downtime right out of our lives. Though downtime will look different for each of us, we all need time to reenergize and rejuvenate. Here are a few quick tips to bring balance to your stressful schedule.
- Consider scaling back outside activities. Limit the number of activities you allow in a month, a week, or a day.
- Look at times of the week, month, or year where you are particularly vulnerable. The next time you are stressed, take a minute and consider if you were stressed the same day last week, month, or year? During high stress periods, block off time where you limit or do not allow commitments. Something as simple as moving an appointment could make your day go more smoothly.
- Find a method to organize your days, weeks, and year. Some prefer paper and pen, some prefer digital media. Some do better with the "month-at-a-glance" format; some an "hour-by-hour" layout; others an old-fashioned daily "to do list". Everyone is different. The key is to figure out what works for you.
If you are looking for an organizer that does everything - from appointments to birthdays to menus - check out http://www.thefamilyorganizer.com/. I don't get commission, but I should as much as I recommend it! It's worked for our family for years!
How do you keep your stressful schedule in check? Take a moment to share with us!