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| Author: Orson Jackson |
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. - ARA |
Author Bio:
EDITOR??S NOTE: Judith Nasatir is a well-known writer and editor whose work has been published in numerous American and international publications about design, architecture and decorating. For more information, please contact Kelly Epley at (312) 951-8392 or kepley@clynch.com. - ARA |
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