Simple Life Ultimate Stress Guide for Moms

The Ultimate Goal is Simple Living and Being the Simple Mom, Yes?

 

It seems like there is no rest for the weary, and the weary person is usually Mom or Mompreneur.  Moms and Moms in business do it all, but who takes care of them?  If you are a busy Mom & Mompreneur, you can learn to value yourself as a person and how to de stress with more simple living, and being the simple mom with scheduled personal time.

 

the simple mom

 

Simple living with personal time is a right of being a person.  Each of us has the capacity to nurture others but that type of care takes its toll.

 

the simple momA car is filled with gas to make it run.  Eventually the gas runs out, and your car won’t move unless the car is replenished with fuel.  The same goes for you as the simple mom.

 

Emotional issues can develop when you don’t take the time to attend to them, not to mention the physical results of emotional neglect. Also, when the Simple Mom has personal neglect, she has business neglect.

 

The Simple Mom escape refuels the tank so that you can give to your family and kids, as well as yourself and business in equal measure.  Don’t be ashamed to sit for fifteen minutes doing nothing.

 

the simple momRelaxing in a hammock under a tree is the perfect getaway from the pressures of the day. Reading a book for 30 minutes can also seem like heaven to many moms.

 

Here are 6 tips to help you learn The Simple Mom Living, and fit in much needed “Simple Mom” time:

 

Simple Mom Living #1.  Laugh at regular intervals.  Keep a funny calendar cube on your desk or subscribe to a daily joke site.  Laughing releases pressure, and can lift your spirits significantly.  It also keeps the abs tight.

 

Simple Mom Living #2. Take exercise breaks.  When you get a few minutes, the last thing you want to do is exercise but getting a little physical activity in your day has far-reaching implications.  Exercise helps you to think clearly and stretches the muscles.  Also, pressure will drain away as powerful endorphins are released into your system.  Do jumping jacks during a television commercial, or jog to the bus stop to pick up the kids.

 

Simple Mom Living #3. Get up early if you have to.  When you have kids, the day begins at a hurried pace.  Once you hit the ground running, there is no stopping you.  Waking 30 minutes to an hour ahead of time means quiet solitude to drink your coffee, read a book, meditate, or listen to music.

 

Simple Mom Living #4. Turn ordinary experiences into major events.  When you take a bath, add candles, bubble bath, quiet music and/or an inflatable bath pillow.  Your regular bath has now become a spa level experience.  If you watch a movie, turn out the lights, pop a bag of microwave popcorn and curl up on the couch.

 

Simple Mom Living #5. Use the Boy Scout motto.  Always be prepared and you can spend more of your day in a relaxed mode.  Fix lunches the night before. Make your business daily checklist.  Iron clothes for the next day for the kids, and place backpacks by the front door, so kids can grab them on their way out.

 

The fewer things you have to do throughout the day, the calmer you will be with your family and kids, and not experience Mom burnout.

 

Simple Mom Living #6. Ask your significant other for help.  Kids love their Moms, but time spent with dad is important too.  Let them bond with dad while you go shopping for a new outfit, or root around in the garden.  Since the time is yours, do whatever you like.

 

Moms and Mompreneurs, take care of you.  Your health is important, and you family and kids would miss you if you were not around to love and  be there for them.  You owe it to yourself to learn living in a simple way, and you deserve a break from the daily hustle and bustle.

 

Try some Simple Mom Living with this relaxing video…

Now Simple Mom, let’s get to balancing family, kids and business, anxiety tips, and not comparing yourself to others.

 

the simple momPlus You as The Simple Mom Can Do All of This on a Budget!

 

 

Stress Management for The Simple Mom and Mompreneurs…

 

If there is one thing I know and deal with everyday as a Simple Mom in business, it is anxiety.

 

This stress felt through anxiety is just a fact of life and living in my opinion, but the trick is to figure out how to deal with it.

 

As a working Mom, you worry about your business ideas working, you worry about those sales coming in, you worry about your business partners being happy, you worry that you missed something, you worry that you are spending too much time on everything, and not with your husband, kids or family.

 

I really don’t know when I don’t have nervous knots trying to make everything go, but I try to take steps to counter the complexity to create a bit more balance.

 

I don’t think you can eliminate anxiety completely, being that it is a built-in response to protect you in dangerous situations, but you can find some balancing tactics as a counter-effect for your simple daily well-being as a Mom.

 

Anxiety is characterized as extreme reactions to fearful situations. When someone follows you into a dark alley, those anxious feelings of a racing heartbeat and sweaty palms give way to heightened senses, and a rush of adrenalin that can save your life. This is the fight or flight syndrome and that built-in protective response.

 

Everyone experiences panic or anxiety in small ways. Like the fight or flight example.

 

the simple momHere are some effective steps for managing anxiety…

 

Simple Living Tip #1. Get a good night’s sleep. During the sleep cycle, your body repairs itself. You feel more rested after several hours of restorative sleep, reaching the REM stage. Most people need eight hours a night, which varies within an hour or two each way.

 

Simple Living Tip #2. Exercise on a consistent basis. Exercise helps you to use oxygen more efficiently. It helps to get more oxygen to the brain. It also increases focus, which may help you see solutions to problems as a Mompreneur, rather than simply worrying about them.

 

Simple Living Tip #3. Meditate. Meditation is more than chanting mantras. Yoga is an exercise that involves quieting the mind and controlling your breathing. Simple mediation such as taking 5 minutes to clear your mind everyday can work wonders in the fight against anxiety.

 

Simple Living Tip #4. Manage the worry. When you feel your pulse start to quicken, count backwards from ten. As you count, focus on the situation. What has actually happened? Resist the urge to read anything more into the situation.

 

Simple Living Tip #5. Find some relaxing activities. Stress can rob you of your energy. On a regular basis, do something you like such as gardening, painting, reading or listening to music.

 

the simple momThere are some of us trying to be Simple Moms who have chronic anxiety, and the fear of the moment never subsides. If you suffer from anxiety attacks more frequently, the steps above can certainly help, but you may also want to seek the help of a professional.

 

Self-diagnosis of any type of physical or mental condition is unwise and can be dangerous. A professional psychologist can help you understand your anxiety and prescribe treatment or other effective techniques.

 

Anxiety is normal, and it helps to always remind yourself of that. If you dwell on it too much, you only create more anxiety, right!

 

Try using the counter measures and actions spelled out above more often, and you’ll discover what works the best for you as working Moms, managing a more simple and balanced living.

 
 

the simple momSimple Living Ultimate Stress Guide for The Simple Mom and Momprenuers: Bust It By Saying No & Not Comparing…

We all know our attitudes have so much power, if we can just learn how to shape them more effectively.  The talk is easy, and the practice is much harder, but here are a couple more stress busting tips that can help you get to that positive outlook.

 

Living as Simple Mom #1: Learn to Say No

 

We moms are notorious for being people pleasers. We’re constantly running around for our families and putting our own individual needs last. If we’re asked to volunteer at school for our kids, we do it without question. If a neighbor needs a favor, of course we do it.

 

 

We teach our kids to think for themselves to do what’s right for them, and yet we don’t do it for ourselves.  It really doesn’t make sense, does it?  It’s time we stand up and be a role model, right?

 

 

When it comes to people asking you to help out, consider the following before simply saying yes like you might normally do.

 

 

 Drop the guilt. We have a lot of people demanding our time and some will make us feel guilty because we don’t offer enough of it. If you are truly neglecting someone, then you may need to take that into consideration. But in most cases, you have to realize you are only one person and you can only do what you can do.

 

 

 Don’t say yes right away. Let the person know you’ll get back to them. Give yourself time to consider because there’s nothing worse than saying yes right away, and regretting it five minutes later.

 

 

 Don’t let flattery get the best of you. Sure, you might be a great organizer or cook, but there are plenty of other people out there with the same skills who can do that job. It doesn’t always have to be you.

 

 

If you realize saying yes to “everything” is all about stress, guilt and demands beyond reason, your next step is to force yourself to say “no”. Just throw it out!  It will feel awkward at first, but will get easier to use each time. You can always tag it with a “thank you”, so you still feel nice.

 

 

Living as Simple Mom #2: Don’t Compare Yourself to Others

 

You see the mom who looks great and does it all, and you think that you should be like that as well. The problem is, we’re not all the same and you have no idea what that woman’s life is really like.  It’s one of the worst things you can do to yourself…comparing yourself to someone else. All you know is who you are, so be you.

 

 

the simple mom“Be a first-rate version of yourself, not a second-rate version of someone else.” – Judy Garland

 

 

So, you really can bust stress when you know more about stress, and the ways it creeps up on you through saying yes, and too much comparison.

 

 

Simple Living Mom Tips for Working Moms and Mompreneurs on a Budget…

 

When you’re on a budget, working Moms need realistic relaxation and stress busting tips…it’s not like those Moms we see on TV…

 
Clearly you have many options for relieving your stress when you live on television.  Let’s take a scene from Desperate Housewives or some reality TV show. Mom is stressed out, so she books a day at the spa or a weekend away with the gals. Or maybe she registers for a high-price and trendy yoga class, or simply washes the stress away with a cocktail. Oh, and don’t forget the shopping spree because there’s nothing like spending a bunch of money to get rid of all your worries.

 

But that’s not our reality, is it? In fact, it’s probably almost no one’s reality, so understand that you’re definitely not alone in wondering how those ladies do it.

 

Also, none of the above mentioned are possible for the working Moms on a budget. And if you’re overworked, overextended and frazzled, overspending is no way to get yourself back on track. So banish that thought immediately.

 

So, what do you do if you don’t have a bunch of money to spare to have fun and relaxation?

 

Well, unless there are some serious issues, you don’t need expensive therapy and there’s no reason to shell out a bunch of cash for high-price exercise classes.

 

Have you heard the saying, “If mom’s not happy, nobody’s happy”?  We moms try to do everything for our kids and everyone else, often leaving ourselves feeling overwhelmed and stressed out. That stress, in turn, affects our loved ones…the very people we are living each day for.

 

Think about it. If you’re stressed out, worrying about all the things you have to do each day, it affects the kids. You rush them, you get impatient, and they start to feel that stress too. So even if you feel you can’t reduce your stress just for you, realize that when you’re stressed out, it negatively impacts those around you.

 

With that in mind, let’s get to our Ultimate Simple Mom Living tips…

 

the simple momOn a Budget Ultimate Simple Living Guide for Moms: Be Positive and Express Gratitude

 

Each morning and throughout the day, remind yourself what you are grateful for. Whether it’s your children, your spouse, the roof over your head, or the food on your table, you have plenty to be thankful for. When you remember those little things, you have a much more positive outlook that takes you through the day.

 

Sometimes it’s hard to do, but when you start your day in a positive frame of mind and are thankful for the things you do have, it’s much easier to face what the day throws at you.

 

“Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.”  ~Melody Beattie

 

Remember, gratitude and appreciation costs you absolutely nothing. In fact, staying positive makes you healthier, and probably means you’ll save a ton on Advil and other medications.

 

Take a moment each day to remember what you’re grateful for, and it makes just about everything else more bearable. You don’t even have to think about a budget when you focus within, and get to the heart of relaxation.

 

This is one of those questions that working moms often ask themselves.  How are you going to balance work, home, family and kids?

 

No one is perfect at this, and no one has the perfect formula. But, there are some good tips out there on how to balance these important elements of your life.

 

the simple momHere are 3 Simple Mom Living Tips for Balancing Business, Home, Family and Kids for Working Moms & Mompreneurs…

 

Balancing Biz-Home-Family-Kids The Simple Living Tip #1. Consider an in-home babysitter or mother’s helper

 

This one relieves that initial pressure you feel of juggling your kids and working, when your office is right there, and you have no separation to get real work done.

 

Mother’s helpers can be such a help with this problem. They come to your house rather than you having to drop your kids off with them. They are cheaper than a babysitter, and your kids still stay at home with you present. The mother’s helper can help out around the house, entertain the kids, or even run short errands.

 

This can give you real peace of mind, knowing you can keep an eye on everything, but get work done.  Everyone wants a piece of your attention, which leads us to #2 in our tips.

 

the simple momBalancing Biz-Home-Family-Kids The Simple Living Tip #2. Organize your time

 

It helps to look at time as a big pie.  If you take out a piece now, that’s one less piece you’ll have later. So divide up the pie.

 

You can even make a pie chart of your day if you want to, but hand-written checklists, a day planner or online calendar will work just fine. This might work best if you do it weekly rather than daily. It’s up to you.  I personally do daily organization.

 

Also, you don’t have to do your pieces of pie in this order. Just because the business working tasks are listed first here, doesn’t mean they are the most important. If kids and family time is a bigger priority for you, then list it first.

 

 

the simple mom

Courtesy of huskyhiker.com

 

The Simple Mom Living List:

 

*First, list everything you need to do for your business that week, dividing it up into urgent priorities and not-so-urgent.

*Then estimate the hours that the urgent ones will take, and plug those hours into your work week. Those are the non-optional work hours.

*Then, plug in the less-urgent business activities (maybe using a different color), so that you know those are not absolutely vital.

*After that, make a list of household chores for that week– laundry, meals, errands, etc.

*Divide those up among the non-working hours.

*Take into consideration things like weekly events (church activities, dance lessons, soccer games, etc.) that will require more laundry.

*If you can, set the weekly household task list up to repeat each week to be on “auto pilot” and won’t require re-scheduling each week. If you set it, you save yourself planning time every week.

*Make another list of family time. Think about family dinners and game nights together? What about a date with your spouse, or, if you’re single, a date with a friend?  Do your kids go to school? Do you home school?

*Schedule all of these social things into your calendar, and rearrange as needed. Try substituting a non-vital business working task to spend some extra time with your kids.

 

the simple momBalancing Biz-Home-Family-Kids The Simple Living Tip #3. Very Important!–Give yourself time off

 

Realistically, as working mom, you will be working day and night. All entrepreneurs know this, but your choice of stay at home work doesn’t have to be completely created and run by you.

 

You can choose a direct sales route for example, that is a bit more pre-packaged and done for you, instead of something completely from scratch.

 

Just giving you an honest and fair warning as a business from scratch fellow working Mom and Mompreneur;)

 

We all know that most people working in offices get weekends off. While you may not be able to spare two whole days every week, set aside free time one day a week, where you can rest and spend time with family.

 

Organizing your down time can be therapeutic. It’s OK that you have to schedule it in.  Even if you can only schedule a few hours here and there, it is extremely important to do it for yourself and family.

 

You can balance your business, family and home as a Mompreneur or working mom. It just takes a little determination and organization!

 

~Courtney & Betina

the simple momFor more on being The Simple Mom, take a look at our Simple Living Books.

Comments

  1. Amy Jones says

    Wow…this guide looks so helpful and complete. I have no kids yet but this advices will definitely help me someday, thanks for the post!

  2. Jen Becerril says

    A mothers/woman’s day seems to never end.Great post was fun to read.

  3. tara pittman says

    Lots of great tips to help me stress less. I got up this am and went running before husband left for work and was so less stressed as i did not have to wake up the boys.

  4. Enricoh Alfonzo says

    WoW! What a beautiful and amazingly motivational post!
    I love the points you listed here. Especially encouraging laughing at regular intervals hahaha Yes! More people need to do that
    And follow your other points.

  5. Michelle Gwynn Jones says

    these are some wonderful tips. I have a few things I like to do to release stress.

  6. Rachel Mouton says

    This is so true about laughing and relaxing. Although I laugh a LOT; I often don’t find the time to really relax before I go to bed. I need to work on that 🙂

  7. Sheri Ann Richerson says

    Those are all great tips. I really struggle with being able to relax. I need to work on that as well. Thanks for sharing!

  8. Elizabeth O. says

    These are very nice, it’s going to help a lot of moms without a doubt! I like that you also noted to enjoy every single moment when you get a couple of minutes of free time. That’s essential.

  9. Nicole Escat says

    You have wonderful tips here. It is stressful to be a mother but life is full of enjoyable things to cherished.

  10. Nikki Jenner says

    This is really an ultimate guide for stressed out mothers, I will share this with my mother so she will not get stressed.

  11. Gwendolyn Mulholland says

    This is a tremendous list of helpful tips. Learning to laugh about things is an easy way to reduce stress and just take it all in stride. It is important as moms that we take time for ourselves so that we can recharge.

  12. Ana Fernandez says

    Im not a mom but I know being a parent can be stressful! This is a great and inspirational way to motivate those awesome moms!

  13. Agnes Dela Cruz says

    Very true! we make our own stressor and we alone can de-stress everything. Motivation and time to breathe and step-out for awhile can help a lot.

  14. Karlaroundtheworld | Karla says

    These are great tips not just for moms but for the strong women who’s carrying the world everyday. I would also suggest keeping Reader’s Digests for an all-around quick companion.

  15. Therese Glenn says

    Great post. i think parents should always have alone time and have quality time with each other. it makes them happier and also makes the kids happier as well 🙂

  16. Shaylee Field says

    I’m not a mom yet but I think these tips can apply to almost everyone!

  17. Wildish Jess says

    I like your number 4 suggestion. Its definitely an easy way to make the experience better.

  18. Melissa Bernardo says

    These are some wonderful tips. Laughter is the best medicine! Great post 🙂

  19. Jessica Cassidy says

    There are many helpful tips you shared that will any Mom stress free. I love to read and sing. I loved it when I am making dinner and everybody is helping. It makes job easy.

  20. Liz Mays says

    Oh wow there is so much helpful information in this post. I do find exercise is super helpful in managing anxiety and stress. Thanks for the ideas on how to manage it.

  21. Robin Ruehrwein says

    I am trying to be able to get up earlier so that I can start my day without being rushed around by kiddos. Easier said than done some days!

  22. Marielle Altenor says

    You are totally right! When I can, I try to wake up an hour or 30 minutes before the kids. I can get so much done in that time when I don’t have a crying baby and a demanding 8 years old lol

  23. These are great tips and great goals to live by.

  24. Jem Alvarado says

    Great tips for a simple mom like me who is sometimes under stress. We all have stressors in our life, one way or another. I do some of these stuff you shared whenever I can. 🙂

  25. Lalia Frolick says

    Relaxing is definitely important. I have a hard time finding much time to myself, partially since I don’t think my husband fully realizes how much I do for our family. It would be nice to have things evened out a little more!

  26. Ayesha Heart says

    Very informative post. Love it! Thumbs up for this I learned a lot! It is true to make a guide like this as most of moms are tired and stress they forget to do some things that you stated.

Leave a Reply to Jen Becerril Cancel reply