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15 Powerful Strategies For Stress Relief For Stay-At-Home Moms

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If you’re a mom, then there’s a 100% chance that you have found yourself stressed out at one point or another or a lot. Without a doubt, it can become overwhelming trying to keep up with All. The. Things. I’ve been there, and through the years I’ve learned some stress relief habits that I want to share with you today.

That is to say, be intentional about implementing these sanity-saving tips, so you can save yourself from mom burnout. As a mom, you can’t take away all the things that cause stress. They come with the job. What you can do is control how you respond to the things that cause most people stress. This brings stress relief.

In fact, you can get to the point of not allowing things to stress you out. That’s what I want for you and your family.

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Stay-At-Home Moms Have To Be Intentional To Prevent Stress

When you are a stay-at-home mom, the structure will really be key during these times of being at home. These tips give you structure for taking care of yourself and keeping your sanity.

Over time, I have researched to find out the simplest ways you can take care of yourself spiritually, physically, intellectually, socially and mentally. Everything I share below takes anywhere from 1 to 30 minutes.  Please tell me you’re giving yourself 30 minutes a day– at the least!!

I know that a lot of this may seem basic. Most of it is.  But if you have these basics covered miracles will happen with your mental health, your ability to stay calm in the chaos and your ability to find joy throughout your day!

stress relief printable

The Benefits Of Being Intentional About Stress Relief

Mindset plays a huge HUGE Ginormous!! factor in your moods. Being a stay-at-home mom is a blessing beyond describability. At the same time, it can test your patience and every ounce of your self-control. That’s why you have to stay intentional about implementing these habits. You and your family will reap the benefits.

  • Fewer moods swings
  • Clearer thoughts
  • Less negative self-talk
  • Gain self-confidence
  • Model positivity for your child
  • Less stress
  • Stronger relationships and bonds with children
  • Children will remember a happier mom.

Above all, I know you want these things for yourself and your family. Implement the simple sanity-saving tips below and you will be on your way to avoiding burnout and stress. Get the stress relief you need so you can thrive, not just survive as a stay-at-home mom.

15 Stress Relief Preventions And Interventions

1. Breathe.

If you’re anything like me, you may think, “What? Breathe? How is that going to help? I’m breathing all day!” 

The first couple of times I did this, I’m sure I heard my lungs say, “Thank You, Shelly!” Controlled breathing can change things for you. For the better. If you stopped reading and started taking action with just #1, you’d see significant change.

I can not believe how many times it has saved me from losing my cool or saying or do something I would later regret.

Directions: First, set the timer for 6 minutes.  Secondly, sit comfortably with your back straight. Next, put one hand on your chest and the other on your stomach. Then, breathe in through your nose. The hand on your stomach should rise. The hand on your chest should move very little. Finally, excel through your mouth, pushing out as much air as you can. After that, continue to breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth slowly, but with more force than usual. Continue until the timer goes off.  

Under hard circumstances, if you’re already in a stressful situation and you can’t do all the steps, just breathe deeply through the nose out the mouth.

I must mention. It doesn’t hurt to have the kids join in and practice breathing exercises with you! Awesome life skill.
 

2. Have water and healthy snacks prepared at all times.

Keep water out where you can get to it easily and have healthy snacks prepared and in a location you can get to them easily.

**How much water should you drink? Half of your body weight in ounces every day.

Just a note, HANGRY is a real thing. This also saves you from standing in the pantry or the fridge and consuming your stockpile.

Snack Ideas For Busy Stay-At-Home Moms:

  • Yogurt
  • Whole-Grain Snack Bars
  • Almonds and Walnuts
  • Fruit
  • Veggies With Hummus
  • Low-Cal Popcorn
  • Hard-boiled eggs

**Have everything prepared in an easy to grab on-the-go location.

3. Get out into nature and sunlight. 

If you can get out into nature and sunlight the effects will definitely be positive. In fact, getting outdoors is at the top of the list for stress relief. If you can’t get out, pull your blinds open and do your activities near a window for at least 30 minutes.

Some experts believe sunlight reverses depression.

4. Get Moving.

Movement is the #1 factor affecting your mind and body. Movement plays more of a role than positive thinking or gratitude practices!

At least 30 minutes a day. 45 minutes is better right now! If you need to, break it up into 10-15 minute intervals throughout your day to do more.

Walking, stretching, yoga, exercise, something to get your heart rate up.

Research has shown that following/synchronizing someone else’s movements works even better for the mind. You can go on YouTube and search Best Workouts For Busy Moms, Best Workouts For Family, Yoga… or you can get an exercise App or you can walk around your neighbourhood.

Get intentional about movement. Set out to find the movement your body needs and then be consistent with it.

By all means, include a dance party on your To-Do List some days. Equally important, include the kids in this one. Show them your best moves. Music has so many benefits for the mind and body. Plus, it can turn your mood around in less than a minute. If you don’t feel like dancing, just play your favourite song. In effect, you’ll reap some benefits.

Related Article:  The Importance Of Mom’s Music Playlist

5. Use Bible Verses, Mantras, Quotes and Affirmations As Stress Relief and Prevention.

Have Bible verses and affirmations prepared for when that inner critic or negative voice plays in your head. It is best to have a few things written and posted so that when it happens; you are prepared.

Pay attention to what negative thoughts are coming up for you and be ready to combat the critic next time it happens. Also, pay attention to time. Is there a certain time of day or a certain activity that brings up negative thoughts?

Due to the importance, find your verses and affirmations now. Make your list or post them around the house where you spend the majority of your day.

Or you can start with my printable list of Mama Mantras and add your own as you go.

Consider these Bible verses, mantras, quotes and affirmations in your artillery to combat and prevent stress from entering your life. If you are already stressed, then they can be your stress relief.

6. Pay Attention To Your Thoughts. 

As a stay-at-home mom, become conscious of your thoughts. Where thoughts are concerned, remember that not everything that comes into your head is true. 

Our brains are constantly trying to make meaning of everything we encounter. Not every thought is right, real, or true. Let that sink in for a second. To put it differently, you should not have to believe every thought that comes into your mind!

The more you are aware of this, the better off you will be. When a thought comes into your head, ask yourself:

Acknowledge your thoughts, but it’s time to say your Bible verse, mantra, or affirmations if they are hindering thoughts.

  • Is this true?
  • Am I sure this is happening?
  • What proof do I have for this? 
  • Can I trust the source?
  • What would I be without this thought?
  • Is this thought serving myself and my family?
  • Who do I need to be right now to keep this experience peaceful?

In the event that the thought is not serving you, tell yourself, “I am not going to think about that right now.” You’ll be amazed how quickly it works.

7. Communicate With The People Around You, Especially Your Child. 

Talk to those around you in your home and have a discussion about how we need to be there for each other and try to make each other’s life as easy as possible.

Tell your children how your feeling and what you need from them. Teach them to do the same. Give your children the language beyond sad, mad and happy to describe their feelings.

Discuss help vs. hinder with your children. If your behaviour is not helping, save it!

You don’t have to over share with your kids in a manner that will give them anxiety. Be that as it may you can be honest with them.

Just one example of what I told my boys this week, “I am sorry that I’m snipping at y’all. Just now when I prepared to cook and we didn’t have all the ingredients, it reminded me of our predicament and I let fear creep in. I will work on it.”  They were understanding.
 

8. Just Think About The Next Step In Order To Avoid Overwhelm.

Don’t think about the big picture. The. Whole. Day. Just focus on your next step.  That is to say be where your feet are. Be present. Stay in the current moment.

What do I need to do next? This is where it is a good idea to have a daily routine or To-Do List. 

If you know you do ABC for the morning routine, D and E after the morning routine, F for lunch, G and H after lunch, I for dinner, and JKL for the bedtime routine- BOOM! You’ve gotten through your day.

Then you aren’t using your brainpower to come up with ideas.  Having a plan puts you in control of your life instead of waking up and letting life control you.

You want to put your effort into making the most of those planned moments. Then you will be present in those moments.

Related Article: How To Create A Daily Routine That Works For Your Family
 

9. Take A Shower Or Bath.

There are moms who believe they need to be the sacrificial lamb of the family. More times than not, their mom or culture had the same belief system.

I want to spend some time here. Some moms think of martyrdom as a badge of honor. There are belief systems within societies that send the message that a mom must be the one to suffer. In fact, messages are sent that suffering equals love.

If this is you, I come baring glorious news! I want to free you up from this belief right now. What your kids need from you is for you to take care of yourself, so you can be your best self for them. No child needs a neglected mom. The healthier and happier the mom. The healthier and happier the child.

Plus, you want to model self-care for your kids. Your kids will take care of themselves like you take care of yourself. I know you want your child to use this stress relief habit daily.

What exactly can a shower do for you?

  • Helps immunity.
  • Cleanses and hydrates.
  • Helps hormones.
  • Soothes aches and pains.
  • Stress relief
  • Increases energy and creative thinking
  • Combats depression
  • Improves attitude

By the way, not showering can cause the opposite of many of the benefits. Furthermore, the average shower lasts 5-10 minutes. Spare this time to reap the benefits. Your children deserve a happy mom, and you deserve the stress relief.

Source: The Psychology of Showering: What Does Your Showering Routine Say About You?

10. Watch Your Sugar Intake.

Holy cow. Sugar has so many bad effects on our bodies. It’s scary when you start reading how it can affect your health. At least it was scary for me since I’m a sugar lover.

But when I started reading that it affects my heart, my kidneys, my liver, my eyesight, aging and more, it got my attention.

It doesn’t just stop there. Sugar is like a drug. It hijacks the brain system. Sugar activates dopamine which results in cravings and addiction.

The problem becomes cyclical because sugar takes you on a high and then drops you. Leaving you to yearn for more sugar. All of this affects your moods, which in turn affect your stress levels and your family.

Though you may think you’re getting stress relief from sugary drinks or eats, in the end it is adding to your stress.

Related Article: Negative Impact Of Sugar On The Brain

11. You Are What You Eat Is True For What Goes Into Your Ears And Eyes As Well.

You have heard the saying you are what you eat. This holds true for the social platforms you take in or any other media for that matter.

You are what you take in and who you spend most of your time with.

If you know about the brain you know it wants to find out about the danger that is around you so it can protect you. If you are a new stay-at-home mom, your brain is treading in unknown territory, so it is looking around to others to see how it should respond.

Be super careful what you are feeding it. Experts suggest you only check out the media once in the morning and once in the evening. Do not have the news running in the background all day!  NO WAY!

This also holds true for who you have real-life contact with via in-person, text, Marco Polo, etc. You don’t want to process too much of someone else’s negativity, and you don’t want to pass your negativity on to anyone else. I know it’s hard right now.  This is an area you have to really practice your self-control muscle.

Related Article:  To The Lonely Mom: Form A Virtual Tribe To Get You Through

12. Use Essential Oils.

If you are an essential oil user, keep your oils in places that you will see them and use them.  Make a roller of your favorite mix to keep your spirits up. 

Create a roller bottle with a stress relief mixture. Keep it somewhere you will see it and use it around 3xs a day during stressful times. 

Keep your diffuser full of oils known for stress relief. Be intentional about using the diffuser and putting it into your routine.  Put the diffuser near the area where your kids spend a lot of time so they experience stress relief as well!

If you’re not an essential oil user, find out how essential oils changed my family’s life. There are many oils that reduce stress, prevent stress, and give stress relief.

Essential Oils Used For Stress Relief:

  • Lavender
  • Lemon
  • Orange
  • Bergamot
  • German Chamomile
  • Frankincense
  • Ylang Ylang
  • Rose
  • Jasmine
  • Clary Sage


13. Allow yourself to laugh and cry.

Both tears and giggles provide a natural emotional and biological reset.  They release chemicals in the brain and body that do good things for us!

On the days when it’s too much, go to a private area and let yourself cry. Release it all.  Experts suggest, don’t let your child see you cry if at all possible.  You don’t want to increase their anxiety.  3 places I have found three places to cry in privacy: my morning walk, the shower, and the bathroom.

Or if you have a friend who you can count on to make you laugh, call them up or watch your favorite comedian on YouTube.  Laughing and crying not only give stress relief, but they are both immunity boosters.  If anyone asks, “Oh I’m doing my immunity-boosting for the day!”


14. Journal

If you have a lot on your mind, get out some paper and do a brain dump. This is a great exercise if you have a lot of negative build-ups. Just start writing like your talking to your best friend.

Instead of talking to someone else and passing on the negativity, just dump it all on the paper, and then you can trash it or burn it. Research shows that disposing of it clears the mind.

One of the best ways to use journaling to reduce stress is to write your thoughts and feelings about the event that is causing you stress.

If you have never tried this practice, you may be surprised that it has an even better effect on stress relief than sharing with a human. 

A Gratitude Journal is another way to save your sanity. Every day list 10 things that you are thankful for. It is said that the more specific you are, the more you will benefit from this practice.

Gratitude journaling is a great habit to get the kids involved in as well.  Written or verbal.

15. Pray. 

Last but not least, pray. Get in a posture where you feel most connected to your higher being and pour out your heart. Relief comes when you get on your knees and surrender your gratitude and anxiety to God.  He wants you to trust him with everything.

People like to say that God will not give you anything you can not handle. The Bible does not say this. In fact, God will give you more than you can handle. What God expects is for us to turn to him in our times of need and he will get us through.

The will of God will never take you where the grace of God will not protect you.

I can’t think of a better time than now to lay your burdens on him, thank him for all those things in your gratitude journal, and ask him to do his will in your life.

Strategies For Stress Relief For Stay-At-Home Moms Bottom Line

If you need stress relief, use these tips and habits to reduce the stress in your life. Life is rarely all good or all bad. It can be rollercoastery. And that’s why it’s so important when you are in the midst of some stress, to remind yourself that there are things you can control.

If you believe that you are getting depressed, tell someone and seek professional help. Get information for stay-at-home-mom depression here.

You can gain control of your mindset and practice stress-relieving habits to reduce the stress you are feeling. I pray you have found a tip here that gives you some stress relief.

I’d love for you to comment on habits you have that reduce your stress.

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stress relief for stay at home moms

Make it a great day or not, the choice is yours!  Remember to have fun, laugh and give God the glory! I love you! SS

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