Self-Care Ideas for Stress
Our Teams Methods for Stress
11/01/2023
National Stress Awareness Day is the first Wednesday of every November, which comes at a great time knowing that the holiday season is upon us. It offers us a moment to prepare and plan for whatever the holiday season may bring us, good and bad.
In the spirit of stress, we asked our team what their favorite, personal stress relievers are and here is what each of them said!
Kim: “I would say audiobooks and walking are my best ones. Kayaking is harder to make happen on the spur of the moment, but also wonderful. “
Alexandria: “Cooking is one of my favorite stress relievers! FaceTiming my siblings also helps. I also like to channel any stress I am feeling into a good deep clean of my space!”
Kaleigh: “Laundry is my stress reliever and my type of self-care. It declutters my space, sets me up for the upcoming week, and helps me feel accomplished when life feels overwhelming. It also helps me set time limits for other tasks that are looming (1 hour tasking to reduce the dread for less preferred tasks like cleaning the bathroom) or tasks that I feel are lower on the priority list (throwing the frisbee for the dogs). By dedicating my Tuesday mornings to laundry, I feel far more confident throughout the week to come.”
Shannon: I plan vacations – I may not be prepared to go on them in the moment – but I identify where I’m going, where I’m staying, what I’ll see and experience, what I’ll eat and create a full out itinerary. About 10 yrs ago I planned a trip to Paris, and in the summer of 2016 I found a round trip flight to Paris for $400! My itinerary needed some tweaking, but I was good to go! Oh, and to all Cubs fans, you’re welcome. I got on the plane that Saturday that was their last loss in the World Series. Once I was in Paris the brought the biggest W home to Chicago!
Who says I’m not a giver! 😉
I play soccer once a week.
I love to cook too, Alexandria!
I read.
I laugh with my husband.”
Hannah: “A bubble bath and a good book is my go-to for stress relief!”
Ashlyn: “I love lifting weights and playing with my dog to relieve stress!”
Lori: “Some of what I do to destress is read, work on puzzles, paint, talk with my best friend, and sit outside.”
Mike: “So, some of the things that work best for stress relief for me are practicing acceptance, mindfulness meditations and music (playing as well as listening)…sometimes all three of these at the same time.”
Kendall: “Some of my favorite stress relievers include, reading, napping, binging Netflix shows with my fiancé and hanging with my dog!”
Nichole: “When I am stressed, I usually do well with down time (no expectations, no commitments, pajamas). I also need time and space to be creative! I sometimes need time away from my kid (sometimes a few hours out of the house alone or even having Calvin stay at grandma’s for a night helps) and I also need time away from work. As much as i love my little human and as much as I enjoy what I do, I do need time to connect with my true self apart from motherhood and my helping role as a counselor. These roles are very important and also require tons of my energy! It can feel draining at times. I love recharging at hot yoga to sweat it out and have personal reflection time there as well.”
Amber: “Reading, sleeping, spending time with friends, family, and my pets. Being with nature.”
Craig: “Keys for me!” (Piano keys).
Krista: “I enjoy going for nature walks or eating milk or dark chocolate!”
Struggling to manage your stress? Let us help!
Call/email our admin team at 847-854-4333 or admin@owenscounseling.com to schedule an appointment with one of us.