Coping with Summer Stress
by Ronnie Nijmeh
The weather is blistering hot, the vacation (or lack there of) is causing
conflict among friends or family and your lack of interest in work has only
doubled your workload. Are you experiencing summer stress?
Well you're not alone. Right now there are millions of people just like you who
are dealing with the reality of summer stress, except you have an advantage over
them; you're reading this article and when you're done reading, you'll take the
next steps needed to beat the summer blues.
These are the times when the kids are at home and are looking for something to
do. These are the times when seemingly everyone talks about their vacation plans
leaving you resentful. These are the times when you're teetering on burnout
because you quite simply need a break.
Give Yourself A Break!
So, why don't you take a break? What's stopping you? In these times, you need to
seek some comfort. That might be at the pool, inside with the air conditioning,
outside reading a good book, or away on a vacation.
If money's the stressor (and often it is), that's no excuse. No one said you had
to go to an exotic place to relieve stress. Last I checked, taking a stroll
through a park, watching a youth baseball game or participating in one of the
many community events and activities is a healthy and free way to get your mind
off the routine and often that's all you'll need.
Short of that, taking up a new hobby or reviving an old one will certainly ease
your stress. If you're looking for ideas, just think of things you're passionate
about - a sport, game, activity or otherwise - then make it happen and ensure
that it is embedded into your routine. It's been suggested that scheduling a
weekly family games night will give you something to look forward to during the
week and lets you and your family unwind together.
Don't Overbook Yourself.
The summer months can be full of activities, parties and barbecues. It's easy to
lose track of your health and overexert yourself when you really shouldn't. This
means you need to watch your diet, be cautious outside in the excessive heat,
and leave extra time so you can unwind and catch up on household errands.
If you go on a vacation, strive to find the right balance between enjoyment and
the creation of additional stress. We tend to organize our trips with lots of
sightseeing activities and early mornings coupled with late nights. While it may
be fun to experience as many sights and sounds as possible, try doing one or two
fewer so you can enjoy each activity even more without feeling rushed or
stressed. You shouldn't have to take a vacation from a vacation!
The key to resolving summer stress is to be aware of your physical and emotional
needs. Don't neglect yourself, otherwise you'll be tacking on another load of
unnecessary stress. Always remember that taking a few hours a week to relax
should not cause guilt!
Ronnie Nijmeh is the executive director of ACQYR Skills (pronounced: "Acquire"),
a report series on transferable skills that condenses hundreds of pages of
information into a handy 16- page reference report. ACQYR Stress Relief is a
report containing dozens more useful tips & tricks, interviews with experts, and
case studies to help enhance your skill set. For more information, visit:
http://www.acqyr.com/skills/