I’ve been under a lot of stress lately. This isn’t really anything new. Life is busy. Teaching is a profession that is both physically and emotionally taxing, despite the obvious joy that comes with seeing children learn and grow. I have teenagers both in the house and on their own. I worry. A creative mind and worry combined make for an expert worrier.
Recently, I discovered that I wasn’t releasing my tension. I was just holding on to it in some warped sense of strength. I couldn’t let it go. I was holding it in my neck and shoulders. I was holding it in my heart. I’d make it a couple of weeks and then let it all out in a good cry only to start the cycle again. Crying isn’t bad. I’m a big fan of a good cry, but here is my expert advice which I rarely take, but really should.
Leave Work At Work
Believe me, you don’t want to live in a world where teachers aren’t taking their work home both physically and emotionally. However, taking a couple nights a week to not bring home that bag of papers to grade or refusing to check your email can do wonders for you. Take a full day or more over the weekend where you don’t do anything for work. Unplug. It’s good for you. I work way too much, but I try to take Friday after work through Sunday morning church to unplug. Rest matters. For me, post dinner Bible study and scrolling through FB comes before parent emails, and that routine is often enough to push me out of my busy mindset and into a place of rest.
Shop on-line
Seriously, Amazon is my BFF. Running out of toilet paper or dish soap? Amazon prime. Don’t want to cook dinner? Grubhub. Need groceries? Peapod. What a world we live in. I just googled grocery delivery and the number of places that offer delivery services is outstanding. Many stores offer plans where they pull your items and you just pay and check out. Sometimes it takes a while to set things up the first time, but you save time in the long run, and you can shop anytime and in your PJs. I did this with Sam’s Club all the time when I was home with little ones. This morning I looked at ordering my Christmas tree online. MAIL ORDER CHRISTMAS TREES! Hallelujah!
Treat Yourself
I’m dieting. My treats are 12 calorie chocolate covered pomegranates. This is the definition of sadness. Treats could be a drink at the end of the week or a special dessert. But treats can also be reserving time for curling up with a blanket and a cup of tea to read a good book without guilt. It could be a planned girls night, coffee with a friend, date night, massage, or sleeping in. Taking time to live your life is important. We weren’t put here to just work non-stop. We definitely need fun. We probably need booze.
Create
We are made in the image of a creator God. We need to create. It’s different for each of us. I like to cook and write. Some people knit or rebuild cars. Some people design computer programs and others enjoy coloring books. It doesn’t matter what outlet you chose. Take some time to create. Warning: Creating small human beings may be fun at first, but leads to parenting which is the opposite of stress relief.
I’m still tired, and their is still tension in my shoulders and neck. I need better boundaries. I need to pray more. I know I need realistic expectations regarding what I can and cannot do in both my work and personal life. But taking some time to make a conscious choice to reduce my stress level not only for myself, but for the benefit of everyone around me.
