Matthew 11:28 - Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
It is incredible how many people, Christian people, are stressed. From work, kids, ministry, your social life, it is easy to see why our lives are so hectic. We are an extremely busy society.
It is important to know that stress is not just a term we use to explain how we feel. Stress is a very important factor on health. According to WebMd.com, "When you are stressed, your body responds as though you are in danger. It makes hormones that speed up your heart, make you breathe faster, and give you a burst of energy." If stress occurs too often or lasts for long periods at a time, your body is at risks of several adverse affects. For example, recurrent stress can result in headaches, suppressed immune system, muscle and back aches, and insomnia.
Although it is impossible to avoid stress, we have the power over reducing and managing stress. Here are some tips to do so:
- Pray daily. Get in touch with God. You'll find that He will give you direction to ensure you are in His Will. The path that God chooses for your life/His Will is always less stressful than whatever path you decide for yourself. There is nothing better than that!
- Read your bible daily. The word says, "Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." Roman 10:17. Frequently reading the Word will fill you with instruction and encouragement on how to handle life's situations.
- Get organized. A well organized life will result in less frustration and ultimately less stress. For example, having your clothes picked out and ironed, the kids backpacks ready and by the front door, or breakfast planned the night before will make mornings easy on everyone. For tips on how to organize your home and life, go to: http://www.organizedclutter.info/.
- Get enough rest. Depending upon your sleep requirements, every person needs 6-8 hours of sleep per night. Receiving adequate amounts of sleep every night can reduce stress and increase immune function. Within two hours of going to sleep, reduce the amount of beverages you consume, especially coffee or sugary drinks. Within one hour of going to sleep, shut off the television. Your brain needs to wind down and the television bombards your mind with ideas and emotions that makes it extremely difficult to relax. Establish an actual bed time and waking time. Your body operates at its maximum potential when you have a predictable sleeping schedule. Of course, we can't control everything in our lives so a slight deviation every now and then is fine.
- Enlist help for daily activities from your spouse, family and/or friends. Even on the small stuff. For some reason we, especially women, have the idea that we can do it all because we will do it best. This is a prescription for a very stressful life. Join a carpool group for transporting your kids to school or after-school activities. Alternate "cooking days" with your spouse. Delegate small responsibilities to your children...it'll make them more responsible.
- Get your finances in order. Did my mentioning of the word "finances" increase your heart rate by 5-10 beats per minutes? Finances can be a huge stressor. So how do most of us handle it? Ignore it! This is absolutely the worst thing you can do. Ignoring your finances only makes it worse. There is not a better feeling than being financially free. Set aside a day to tackle your finances. Gather all of your bills and statements. Find ways to reduce your spending. Set aside some money for an emergency fund. You'll be surprised at how much $20 per paycheck can grow your emergency fund. You won't be as stressed when that alternator blows or you need dental work because you have the money in your account. Read some online blogs or "how-to" books to increase your knowledge in finances. Some helpful links are: http://www.getrichslowly.org/ or http://www.moolanomy/.com
- Cut out the "busy work" and only do the necessities. When you have your hands in too many activities, you're bound to make a lot of mistakes or let someone down. How stressful is that?! As the famous saying goes, "Don't be a jack of all trades, and master of none." You'll become more productive and a result, more confident, when you do one thing or two things very well. Most kids are overwhelmingly energetic and they like to be in a lot of different activities. Unfortunately this may be at your expense. Are your kids in club scouts, baseball, basketball, and math club but its overwhelming you? Choose one or two extracurricular activities, alternate activities with the season or only engage in the activities that your child is most passionate about. Let your child/children participate in baseball in the spring and football in the fall.
How do you reduce stress? Please share your comments below!
