Being a parent can be stressful but there are certain things that can be a constant source of stress but there are some coping methods to stress less. Most of the stress parents experience is through ongoing issues that can impact their child’s future that can lead to more worry rather than hope.
Scrolling through the news can keep you updated but can also be a source of concern with ongoing issues that impacts everyone especially parents. Staying up to date on current events is important but reading too much negative news can impact your mental health negatively as most people feel these are unsolvable problems.
If you’re feeling stressed after reading or watching the news, you can try a news fast in which you don’t watch the news for a while to see if will help improve your mood. Not being so involved in the news can reduce stress but some parents can experience stress with the unknown. A good way to determine the effects of the news related to stress is by using a mood tracker with a rating scale from 1 (bad) and 10(great) to compare how you feel with or without news.
It might seem like a no-brainer but focusing on self-care can result in less stress as self-care should be considered as a form of health care. When thinking of the concept of self-care, you might think you should take a trip to the salon or spa for a beauty treatment, but you can start with simple changes to incorporate into your daily lifestyle.
A good self-care routine can start with modifying your basic routine with getting enough sleep, staying hydrated, eating well, and exercising. These simple changes in your daily lifestyle can result in less stress overall as taking care of yourself can help when it comes to caring for your child that they will also benefit from.
Mindfulness can help maintain a healthy thought pattern with positive psychological side effects as some people consider it “trendy” without realizing it can actually work in preventing stress. Mindfulness starts with reviewing your thought process by considering where your brain goes, what you’re thinking about, and learning how to let goof the negative things.
This process will help you let go of those negative things in order to make big changes in your overall functioning level as worrying about things that are out of your control can be very stressful. This process will help identify negative thoughts or feelings then let it go from your mind so your brain can let go of the negative and focus more on your current task. This will help build a mindfulness muscle that will be easier to use in the future.
Stress can seem impossible to avoid but it’s best not to let your feelings of worry be the boss of your lifestyle and choices. Worry can be a big factor in making choices, but you can make notes of things that concern you in your planner or journal that you can revisit later to reframe the situation when you have some free time.
This gives you the chance to express your concerns and reassess your thoughts at a later time that is an easier way to think over what you worry about deciding what is good or bad for your mental health. This technique can also help you restructure your thoughts knowing it’s not an immediate solution to the problem but you’re making a small step towards restructuring your thinking that can result in anxiety or stress.