Spring Cleaning – Tossing Out Your Sources of Stress
Spring cleaning is a tradition started thousands of years ago as part of Nowruz, the Persian New Year. The celebration includes a practice known as “khaneh tekani,” which literally translates to shaking the house. This deep cleaning of the home represented opening to and making room for change and rebirth in the new year. Just like our homes, our minds and bodies may benefit from spring cleaning to help us open to and make room for change and growth as we move into the spring season. Stress is one of the many things we can toss out as we spring clean our emotional health and overall wellbeing.
What Is Stress?
Stress is a term used to refer to the amount of pressure a structure can take before being damaged. When the structures under stress are our minds and bodies, the damage may look like changes in our mood and behavior, difficulty concentrating, diminished health, increased risk for depression and anxiety, and a whole bunch of other physical and cognitive changes. Knowing the areas of your life that are impacted by stress and developing strategies to manage stresses can help you avoid these common side effects. Everyone’s stressors are unique, but some of the most common sources of stress include:
Finances, including personal money concerns like job instability and housing costs as well as general worries like changes in the economy.
Life changes, including finding a new job or relocating as well as generally transitional time periods like the end of college or retirement.
Family obligations, including present concerns like providing safe housing and adequate nutrition to dependents as well as general worries like fulfilling societal expectations as a wife, husband, or parent.
Relationship issues, including struggles within your current partnership as well as general concerns about finding or maintaining a relationship.
Work life, including meeting deadlines and other daily work concerns as well as more generalized concerns about your career and sources of income.
Health concerns, including specific medical conditions as well as general worries about potential risk of illness, which is much more likely since the pandemic.
These common stressors can impact anyone, but minorities, women, and members of the LGBTQIA+ community are often at higher risk for elevated stress levels.
Tips to Manage Stressors
If you’re having a tough time dealing with common life stressors, consider the following tips for dealing with the top five sources of stress.
1 – Financial Concerns & Job Instability
One of the best ways to manage stress related to finances or job stability is to take control of what you can. Make a budget, review your spending, and make changes to save money. You can also look into getting a part-time job to supplement your income and reduce stress related to job instability. If you’re still feeling stressed, consider talking to a financial advisor, money manager, or other finance professional. You can find many of the services provided by these professionals at low or no cost online or through local resources like the NYC Financial Empowerment Centers.
2 – Life Changes
Planning can help to reduce stress from life changes. The more prepare you feel for the impending change, especially if it was unexpected or you didn’t choose it, the less stressful the process may be. Don’t forget to lean on family and friends for support (and vent sessions) while you are navigating life changes. You can also try to find ways to maintain a sense of normalcy during a change by planning to keep some things the same. For instance, if you’re moving to a new city, you may plan to spend one weekend a month with friends in your current city.
3 – Family Obligations
Our families can be one of our greatest sources of security, stability, strength…and stress. If you’re feeling overwhelmed by family obligations, it’s time to ask for help. Sit down with your loved ones and discuss how you’re feeling and try to find new ways to share responsibilities or find others who can help. Sharing that you need help is often all it takes for other family members to step in. If you’re feeling guilty that you can’t do it all, give yourself permission to take a breath and a break. Let your loved ones help.
4 – Relationship Issues
Communication is often the best way to reduce stress related to relationships. Engaging in an open, honest conversation about issues in your relationship and working toward real resolution is the first step toward healing. You can also consider scheduling couples therapy sessions if your relationship troubles are overwhelming or you can’t seem to achieve resolution.
5 – Health Concerns
Stress related to chronic health concerns or a new, potentially frightening health diagnosis may involve a variety of steps. One way to make yourself feel better is to take steps to stay as healthy as possible. Follow all instructions from your physicians, eat a nutrient-rich diet, exercise as much as possible, and get plenty of sleep. Again, don’t forget to lean on friends and family members for support at these often-difficult times.
Bonus Stress Management Tip – Talk to a Professional Therapist
If you’re still struggling to manage the impact of stress on your day-to-day life, take a few deep breaths. Then, reach out to schedule a free phone consult. I’m Ashley Pichardo, a licensed mental health counselor in New York. I understand the ways stress can impact daily life, and I’m here to support people who are ready to take steps to alleviate stress in even the most stressful situations.
