Top 10 Stressful Life Events
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Stress is one of the biggest problems faced by Americans today, 11% of American women, and 5% of American men are currently taking some form of anti-depressant to combat anxiety, stress or depression. Is this a problem that has existed for hundreds of years that was just never addressed or is modern day living just more stressful than it was for previous generations? I have to think that it is a little of both. America has become obsessed with moving on to the next thing… putting pressure on all of us to "keep up with the Jones' " rather than sit back and enjoy what we have.
For the past 2 years I have enjoyed being a stay@home mom!! I have loved my time at home, but believe me it has not been the walk in the park that most people assume it is. The greatest part is that you don't have as much stress as you do when you are working full-time. However, you still have to run the household, make the dinners, do the laundry, wrangle children, and for me wrestle a Labrador.... so the while the luxury of not having to work 40 hours while doing it is wonderful, it does not mean I live a stress-free life! Because let's face it, job or not, raising kids is difficult. For me, I think that being a stay@home mom is far more stressful than being a working mom is. I know that many of you working moms are saying "OH yeah whatever!!" but take it from someone who used to say the same thing "How hard could it be??" well... it's A LOT of work... especially if you have more than 1 child. Also, personally, I enjoy the satisfaction of making money and contributing it to the household (not that raising 2 kids isn't a contribution). But one thing I can say is that I no longer have an overwhelming feeling that I am not being a good parent or a good employee because I am only half listening most of the time, while trying to get 200 other things completed. Although, sometimes being THAT busy was good because it forced me (a person who has ADD) to prioritize and complete tasks in an orderly and somewhat more effective way than I can now... when mommy-hood is my main agenda.
In light of all that I have decided that a part-time job is the perfect solution! Now my goal: to find STRESS-FREE employment. Does it exist?? Too much stress is definitely counterproductive to one's health and has been linked to migraines, stomach problems, muscle tension, and insomnia just to name a few. I am not going there, and I know that while I was not extremely stressed at my last full-time job itself, the demands of motherhood coupled with that job made for a very stressed person. Now adding in another child and the pursuit of higher education, and I decided something had to give. My husband and I decided that rather than put our new baby in daycare...why not quit my job (after all my entire income would have been devoted to paying for daycare anyway). This choice, while a sacrifice, has made a great difference in my stress levels, as well as my ability to be a great mom! After all, these boys are growing by leaps and bounds and in a few years will be asking for the car keys instead of the newest action figures.
Some helpful ways for you working and non-working moms to lower your stress level... other than Prozac, Paxil, or whatever the latest drug of choice is are: YOGA (a great stress reliever), deep breathing, and a glass of wine every now and again. OH, and most importantly... a break from the kids every now and then. You know what they say: "Distance makes the heart grow fonder", well I truly believe that is true with your kids as well as your partners. I have attached an excellent article about de-stressing your life here!! Enjoy and until next time… be well!!
http://www.helpguide.org/mental/stress_management_relief_coping.htm
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