Managing Your Own Stress Learn ways to manage and reduce your own stress. Relaxation Techniques and Meditation Progressive Muscle Relaxation Learn how to loosen up your muscles to get you relaxed. This is called progressive muscle relaxation. 12-Minute Video Watch for how to do progressive muscle relaxation. Breathing exercises How we breathe can make a big difference in how we feel. Try out one of the following videos to see how you can use your breathing to relax. 3-Minute Video Need Video 5-Minute Video Watch for how to do breathing exercises Managing Stress Practicing Mindfulness Mindfulness strategies can help you to stay in the moment and cool down your feelings. Try one! Body Scan Exercise Watch for how to practice mindfulness Bell Exercises Watch for how to practice mindfulness 5-Minute Meditation You Can Do Anywhere! Watch for how to practice mindfulness Schedule a 10-minute walk for the time of day that you usually feel the most stressed. Write in a reflection journal--this involves writing your thoughts and feeling down. Taking Space Creating space and time for myself: Every parent should get the opportunity to take time and space for him or herself—even if it is just 5 minutes. Think about where your space is for yourself in your house. It could be your bedroom, your bathroom, or a different private area in the house. Now, choose a time of day when you can take a few minutes to yourself. Choose an activity: Listen to your favorite music/podcast Read a book Take a relaxing bath Watch your favorite tv show/movie Make your favorite meal Do some online shopping Handling My Own Anger and Irritability When you're feeling upset, guided meditation and progressive muscle relaxation can help to cool you down. Here are a few options: 3-Minute Video Need Video 5-Minute Video Watch for how to manage your anger and irritability Progressive Muscle Relaxation Watch for how to manage your anger and irritability Ways to handle teen pushing your buttons: Teens, unlike younger kids, can’t quite be put in timeout. They also sometimes really know how to push their parent’s buttons! Therefore, when things get heated with your teen, it can be helpful for you to take some space away from them—it can even just be 5 minutes alone in your room. If you have another adult in the house that you are co-parenting with (e.g., partner, spouse, teen’s grandparent), then it can sometimes be useful to ‘tap out’ and let them speak with your teen or handle discipline when you’re upset. When you’re angry, it is hard to effectively talk with your teen and get them to understand you. Seeking Social Support Seeking support from friends and family members: As a parent or caregiver, keeping up with your friends or family members can be hard! Even so, it’s important for your own well-being to use your friends or family members for support. Think of one friend or family member here that you can check in with at least once a week. It's also important to plan for when you might contact your friend and how you might do so (phone call, text message, email). Make a plan: First, choose one friend or family member that you could check in with. Now, pick a time that you might reach out to them to spend time with you. Finally, pick one of the following option for how you might check in with them (phone call, text, video chat, in-person)
