Well, it’s Stress Awareness Month. Actually, it’s probably not. To be honest, I’m not even sure Stress Awareness Month is a real thing or not. But I am sure of is this, you know what stress feels like and may even be having a stressful month. Work, finances, relationships, uncertainty about the future, all of this can up the stress levels. So, how can you manage stress at home?
1. Give something the ax. Even though we haven’t met (or have we?), I can probably list a rough outline of your daily schedule: go to work, come home in time to take kids to practice or a recital or a game or tutoring or gymnastics or whatever they’re into, shove some food down your throat before checking in on some last-minute work emails, say goodnight to your family and get ready to do it all again tomorrow. Am I close? Something’s gotta go. Cut something from your family’s busy schedule. It’s okay if your kid “only” plays one sport instead of four. It’s okay to ACTUALLY LEAVE work when you leave work (unless you are on-call in the medical field, in which case you should probably answer your phone). Identify an event your family doesn’t “need” and get rid of it to release a little tension.
2. Do something…or nothing as a family. Pick a hobby to try as a family—puzzles, board games, fishing, video games, rebuilding a 1956 Chevy in the garage. Maybe just sit on the couch and do nothing but eat popcorn and watch T.V. Whatever helps you unwind from the day, do it, and do it together.
3. Exercise. Although stress is a mental thing, it has a physical effect on the body. Exercise can help the body and the mind. This doesn’t mean your family needs to start training for the next Ironman Triathlon. Simply taking a walk or even basic stretching can help relieve tension in the muscles.
4. Change your dinner plans. Busyness can have us stressed out and short on time. Who hasn’t picked up a fast-food family meal to eat in the car while driving from one event to another? Sometimes that’s the only option we have. But whenever possible, sit down to eat together as a family. The table provides an avenue for meaningful conversation and a chance to check in on how everyone is doing. Knowing you care about your family’s day-to-day affairs will reassure them that they don’t have to face anything alone, which will help unburden their load.
5. Share the household chores. As a family unit, everyone in the family should play a role in contributing to the family’s betterment. Don’t let all the housework fall on one person. Distributing the responsibilities lightens the load for everyone.
6. Have sex. Not that you need an excuse or added reason for more “Mommy, Daddy time,” but sex is a great stress reliever. Plus, the added level of intimacy bonds you to your wife like little else can.
7. Realize you’re not in control. You may be the leader in your home, but you’re not the One in control. This is a good thing. Acknowledging God as the LORD of your home and family will go a long way in stress management. Things are going to go wrong occasionally. Some seasons of life are just going to be more challenging than others. Trusting God to lead through every circumstance takes a lot of the pressure off of you.
Don’t let stress dominate your family life.
To quote the great mellow football-slinging philosopher in Green Bay, “R-E-L-A-X.” I’m not sure if it’s possible to live a stress-free life, at least not on this side of eternity. But this doesn’t mean we have to let stress dominate our every day. We can do a better job of finding ways to relax. Let’s be proactive about managing the stress in our home; it will make for a much happier place to live.
