Simple Defrazzling

There are very few personal problems that cannot be solved by a suitable application of high explosives.

~Unknown

In a hurry? Jump right to the part you need:

 

A mother’s role is stressful in its very definition. I don’t think it’s possible to be a mom and not be stressed!

 

Here’s proof:

 

A poll company decided to find out what the top ten stressors were in the workplace so that HR departments could work on eradicating them, enabling their employees to have better working conditions, resulting in better work.

According to research, the top ten sources of stress in the workplace are:

10. "The treadmill syndrome" – having too much to do.

9. "Random interruptions"

8. "Pervasive uncertainty" Uncertainty is created by constant, unsatisfactorily explained or unannounced change.

7. "Mistrust, unfairness, and office politics"

6. "Unclear policies and no sense of direction"

5. "Career and job ambiguity"

4. "No feedback."

 3. "No appreciation."

2. "Lack of communication" Poor communication up and down the chain of command leads to decreased performance and increased stress.

1. The greatest stressor in the workplace is "lack of control."

by Dale Collie
Dale Collie, Professional Speaker & former US Army Ranger, CEO, and University Professor. Advising business leaders on corporate stress control, improving productivity, and increasing profits.

 

What a perfect description of a normal day in the life of a mother! To bad we don’t have an HR department working at eradicating those issues for us!

So today I’m going to give you moms some gifts:

The first gift is permission to be human . I hereby grant you permission to fail, mess-up, and not get everything on your to-do list done.

There is a myth out there that with all the automated assistance we have these days – unlike our proverbial grandmothers – we should be able to keep up, that these appliances should somehow enable us to be “SuperMom” but the truth is each automated assistant has raised the standards of expectations which creates an even greater treadmill than before.

Here’s the clincher, though - We women create the “Supermom” syndrome ourselves by never admitting our struggles, never asking for help, and never letting each other fail without malicious gossip – let’s uncreate it by giving ourselves and each other space and permission to be human!

Celebrate and revel in what you do well, be courageous to ask for help where you are struggling (I just traded cleaning floors for someone else’s ironing, and we’re both delighted!), and encourage and build up the moms you come into contact with.

 

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Second gift is yourself.

 

“If mama ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy!” No truer words were ever spoken. You need to take time to be good to yourself every day in order to have something worth giving to the people you care about. Here are three areas to focus on:

 

Hand – represents your body – look after it. Exercise, eat well, drink water, sleep properly.
Heart – represents your soul – connect daily with God, friends and family
Head – keep growing. Just because you’re a mom doesn’t mean you cease to be you. Keep following those dreams, keep learning, take courses, read good books. Keep becoming who you are.

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My third gift is a bunch of defrazzlers.

Let’s start with these:

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Little Tips

  • Feeling sluggish? Drink a large glass of pure orange juice. The healthy natural sugars will give you instant energy, and the tangy taste will wake up your brain. - much better for you than a cup of coffee! If you're really desperate, take small handful of nuts, 1000mg of Vitamin C and a large glass of water.

  • Feeling stressed and pressured? Two drops of lavender essential oil on a pretty hankie - breathe deeply throughout the day.

  • Ready to strangle your kids? Try laughing - Ha Ha Ha Ha! -I could spend a whole hour on the benefits of laughing. In fact, do this with your kids the next time you want to kill them. You'll all feel much better afterwards.

    (Check out my article called “Defrazzle with a Hearty Guffaw”)

  • Need to get your head together in the next 15 minutes before your husband walks through the door? A cup of exquisite tea and some "healthy chocolate" - yes, it exists! In fact, Dr. John Grey of the famous “Mars and Venus” series says:

    • "Moderate amounts of chocolate have been proven to stimulate brain balance so that serotonin and oxytocin levels go up and stress is dramatically reduced. Every woman needs to have a backup stash of healthy and nutritious chocolate to help her through the difficult times. Chocolate is filled with healthy properties. Chocolate itself is not a problem - too much refined sugar is. Moderation is the solution."

    Here's John Grey's book if you want the evidence!

    The Mars and Venus Diet and Exercise Solution: Create the Brain Chemistry of Health, Happiness, and Lasting Romance

Check out these other resources for ideas and solutions:

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Here are some great books for defrazzling:

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Middle Tips

Ok, you're feeling more stress than what can be eradicated by a little deep breathing. Let's take a look at some “bigger” solutions:

  • Make Sure You Get a Half Day Off Somewhere, Somehow. A whole day every week is even better. Trade childcare with a friend, enlist your husband for some “father/child bonding” time, join a Mom's Morning Out” at a local church - childcare is usually provided. Play groups are great, but sometimes you need to do something without any kids around.

  • Check Your Diet Make sure you're drinking enough water, and eating enough fresh fruits and vegetables.

  • Get Out in the SunshineA regular 20 minute walk outside every day will give you a multitude of benefits. Check out this great book for information on that: When Your Body Get the Blues

  • Create a Schedule Make sure there's a “quitting” time on it. Obviously mothering doesn't stop, but housework can. I quit at suppertime. My husband (may he be forever blessed) tidies the kitchen. Perhaps your husband will take over the bedtime routine to give you some time off at the end of the day. It could vastly improve your love life! See my Defrazzle Your Housekeeping page for more ideas here.

  • Get yourself some “aromatherapy”. Have my friend Debbie Harlan of Aromathyme send you a monthly surprise package of wonderful defrazzling products. It's like Christmas every month!

Here are some great books to help you with Middle Level Stress:

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“Oh My Goodness I Need Serious Help!” Tips

Ok, if you're really struggling with fatigue, stress, irritability, we need to get out the “big guns”.

Start here: Fatigue Be Gone. Once you've worked through that book and have seen your doctor, check out these other options:

  • See if you can manage to take a weekend off completely - can you let your husband take the kids for a weekend? Your family? Your friends? Can you get a hotel? Borrow a cabin? House sit? While you're away, take lots of long walks, eat only good food, drink plenty of water, and journal!

Here are some great books to help you through this time:

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Have you picked up a copy of my
FREE
Mom-Defrazzler "Tips Messenger"?

It's 52 tips, resources, ideas, and "step-by-step" to make your mothering life easier, and it pops up once a week on your computer.

You will also receive a free, super short "Tip" to simplify your life, or a "Giggle" to make it more fun, every four days in your e-mail,

ALL FOR FREE!

Don't miss out! Sign up below!
:
:

We hate spam as much as you do!
Your information is safe with us.
We will never share, lend, or sell it to anyone else.