Spring Stress –
How to Cope
(ARA) – Most of
us look forward to the arrival of warm weather. Yet even while we’re enjoying
sunny days, blooming flowers and budding trees, we can still feel stress.
“Stress can happen any time of year,” says Dr. Kathleen A. Hall, a
stress management expert and author of “A Life in Balance: Nourishing the Four
Roots of True Happiness.” “Each season brings its own unique set of stresses,
and spring is no exception.”
Common sources of spring stress include:
* tax season
* spring holidays (Easter, Passover, Mother’s Day)
* special events (spring break, graduations)
* expenses (vacation,
graduation gifts, new spring clothes)
* end-of-school-year tests, exams and
projects
* college acceptance and rejection letters
* spring home
maintenance
* seasonal allergies
“Fortunately, you can learn to cope
with your spring stress,” Hall says. “Basic stress-reduction techniques can be
tailored to fit each season’s specific stressors.”
Hall offers the
following solutions for dealing with these common sources of spring stress:
* Manage financial concerns by creating a folder for each holiday,
special event and vacation. As a family, discuss the expenses associated with
each. Writing down expenses allows you to create a flexible budget for each
need. “Finances are a huge source of arguments and stress,” she says. “Writing
things down helps you make decisions and feel in control.”
* Create a
family calendar. “Once a week, have a family meeting and discuss the family
calendar,” Hall advises. List the kids’ events and parents’ activities on one
calendar. A single calendar coordinating the family will minimize scheduling
conflicts and confusion.
* Teach stress reduction tools to your entire
family. Talk about how stress affects everyone’s physical and mental health and
well being. Teach them self care.
* Decide on spring home maintenance
tasks that need to be done and hold a family meeting. Determine what jobs can be
done by family members and what will need to be hired out. Seek volunteers for
each do-it-yourself job, but if someone fails to speak up, don’t hesitate to
appoint them a task.
Visits from family and friends can be particularly
stressful, no matter how much you want to see them. Hall suggests some important
steps to minimize “guest stress” and maximize your time together:
*
Before guests arrive, send them a family newsletter advising them on what they
need to bring for their visit, and updating them on your family news.
*
Post the rules of the house in a central location.
* Designate certain
rooms for conversation, others for quiet activities like reading, a room for
activities, somewhere people can watch television, and a private “nap” room for
young children or anyone else who needs a nap.
* Hang an erasable note
board on the refrigerator. Anyone who has special dietary requirements, or who
has brought their own food can note this on the board.
* Post the
following rules on the bathroom door: showers no longer than five minutes, one
towel per person, replace the toilet paper if you use it all, be courteous to
your fellow bathroom users.
* Prioritize sleeping arrangements based on
these criteria: respect for age, guest’s health, parental authority.
*Place a schedule of events in a central location. This way, no one will
be left out if a lunch is planned, or the dads want to play golf, or the
teenagers attend a movie.
Finally, Hall advises, share stress reduction
tips with all family members. Post a list of tips in a central location.
Hall’s book, “A Life in Balance,” is available through online retailers and
at major bookstores nationwide.
Courtesy of ARA Content |
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