How many mornings do you wake up, with one thought in your mind: I wish I did not have to do so much today!

It is a very common thought in today’s world. Young parents to old, school aged kids and teens, everyone has some place that they feel they need to be. The truth is that we have all boxed ourselves into believing that we have to do much more than is humanly possible most of the time.

I see it frequently in parenting. It is almost a competition to see what parents can enroll their children in the most activities, then relentlessly cart them around, only for everyone to end up exhausted at the end of the day.

What about you? How many irons do you have in the fire? A career that requires 24/7 attention? A family awaiting you at home at the end of the day? It is all good, but too much of anything always causes havoc in a person’s life.

In all honesty, I tend to multi-task too much myself, and I’ve noticed that instead of improving creativity, I end up unable to think clearly because I am tired. I attain the opposite result of what I want, in my quest for personal success. That is my personal reminder that it is time for me to reassess and regroup.

If you are over-burdened or exhausted because of the tasks at hand, here are a few ways to eliminate some of the stress and bring you back to normalcy:

1. Moderation. If a parent, choose only 1 or 2 activities in which to engage your children. Trust me. We home schooled our kids and participated in everything they liked, but never more than one thing at a time, and they turned out splendidly. Use moderation in your own activities, too. Don’t burn out before you accomplish.
2. Meditation. I struggle with five minutes of meditation, too. When I am busy, five minutes is not long enough. When I need to stop and reflect for five minutes, it seems too long of a time. How can I think about nothing for that long? Practice.
3. Inspiration. Read a quick inspiration every day. Start your morning with a single page or paragraph inspiration. It does not take much time and stores a great message in your mind as you progress through your day.
4. Exercise. Nothing works better at relieving stress than a good workout. Whether a walk, weights, heavy-duty cardio, or martial arts, these activities relieve your mind of your commitments just long enough to refresh you.
5. Smile. Consciously remind yourself to smile throughout the day. When you smile, you generally feel happier, even though you might think it works the opposite way (happiness makes you smile). Being conscious of positivity and joy, and making the effort to smile more frequently when talking to others, creates an atmosphere of happiness for everyone.

Start to understand your lifestyle and the warning signs that you are doing too much. If you want to control stress before it controls you, give these five suggestions a try, and you will feel ready to take on the day, instead of worried about how you will get through it.

xoxo

Andrea

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My new book, The Martial Arts Woman, is now available. Purchase through my e-commerce store: http://themartialartswoman.storenvy.com.

The Martial Arts Woman book shares the stories and insights of more than twenty-five women in the martial arts, and how they apply martial arts to their lives.

Unlike most other martial art books, the reader will catch a glimpse into the brave and empowered woman who dares to be all that she can be. Many of these women had to overcome great societal or personal challenges to break into the men’s world of martial arts. This book will motivate and inspire you to go after your goals in life and to fight through every challenge and defeat every obstacle. The Martial Arts Woman will open your eyes to the power of the human spirit and the martial art mindset that dwells in each of us!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Andrea F. Harkins is a writer, motivator, life coach, martial artist, and public speaker. Her book, The Martial Arts Woman, is now available at themartialartswoman.storenvy.com.