Stress is a natural part of life, but stress prevention and management are crucial to living a healthy life. All families get stressed, but too much stress can harm you physically and emotionally. The unique challenges accompanying large families can make it even harder to deal with stress throughout the day. Parents can take proactive steps to prevent stress in their large family household.
1. Create an environment that minimizes stress
Avoid the unnecessary stress of clutter: The sight of clutter can be mentally taxing, causing stress, frustration, and distraction from other tasks we should be focusing on. With a number of kids, it’s easy to quickly acquire many unnecessary items that add clutter and stress in a house. To combat this, take a day to purge any unnecessary toys, toiletries, closets, decorations, etc. Once you’ve removed inessential items, organize the leftover items in a place besides in the open where they cause clutter. If it’s a struggle for your younger kids to keep items in their place, post a photo of an organized cupboard/closet for them to reference.
Use aromatherapy: Scents can be used to create a calming atmosphere (if you’re new to aromatherapy, click here for an introduction). Pick soothing scents like lavender, jasmine, rose, and sandalwood to set a peaceful and happy tone for a room. (Read more about how to create a happy home environment here.)
2. Create a time management plan
Use a calendar: With more kids in a family come more schedules to juggle. Using one calendar for everyone’s activities enables parents to plan ahead and avoid the last minute stress of coordinating transportation, meals, etc.
Use the 80/20 scheduling rule: Plan your days so that 80% of your time is schedule and 20% is left open. This gives you more time to deal with unexpected life events that pop up (such as taking your car to the mechanic) and builds in time each day for you to spend time on you. Taking a moment for meditation (link), a walk (link), or an essential oils massage (link) helps you rejuvenate and fight off stress before it happens.
Proactively find moments of togetherness with your family: One study found that families who looked for moments to spend with their kids experienced less stress overall. Encouraging your family to spend time together each day, even if it’s only for a few minutes, can help prevent stress among the family.
In the busyness of life with a large family, it can feel easy to get overwhelmed and stress. Taking a few proactive steps can go a long way to preventing stress in your family. For more information on essential oils, or for general wellness coaching, please contact us.