Im glad that shes doing it and Im fully supportive of her doing so.
So, whats the problem?
This post originally appeared onThe Simple Dollar.
The problem is that the class is eating up a lot of her time.
That change has an impact on our family as a whole.
Ive had to step up and devote more time to a number of areas of our life.
Ive taken on a greater share of household chores and a greater share of meal preparation.
These are tasks that I dont mind doing at all, but the time has to come from somewhere.
Its time taken away from time I spent with my wife.
Its time taken away from hobbies.
Its time taken away from other social commitments.
What happens when you cut away pieces of your life that you value deeply?
You feel some stress.
You feel a little less happy about things.
I could hire someone to do some light housecleaning, such as vacuuming and dusting.
You get the idea.
Ill use my own mindset as an example.
I dont look at what the best solution is for the long term.
I do this by doing several things at once.
Second of all,I basically deny myself access to an ATM card.I dont use one.
I basically dont ever carry it.
Its in my home, but in a place thats not immediately easy to access.
I just decline increases in my credit limit when theyre offered to me.
Often, those hurdles make me rethink the purchase entirely.
Ill realize how foolish it is, then Ill stop.
Personally, I often skip out on housework.
Ill skip vacuuming the floor.
Ill let some dishes pile up in the sink.
I can handle those things later, during a lower-stress period.
Knowing that I dont have to think about those chores right now feels like a relief.
I can instead focus on other things that need to be done.
I suddenly feel much more in control of things.
Here are two key things you might do.
Put non-urgent things off until the weekend.
Combining these steps can wipe a lot of things off of your plate during a stressful time.
Turn Off Social Media and Electronic Devices
Social media diverts your attention from the challenges at hand.
Shut them down for a while.
Turn off your phone.
Here are some techniques that I use regularly in my life to keep stress from overwhelming me.
Heres how I personally do it.
I simply find a comfortable spot where Im seated or laying down, then I close my eyes.
For ten minutes, I focus on one single thing.
Usually, for me, its my breathingbreathing in, breathing out.
You might choose to focus on a word or a particular phrase.
Just get one thing central in your mind.
For the entire time, keep your focus on that one thing.
When it does, notice it, then gently bring your mind back to the target of your focus.
Usually, Ill go on a short hike to a secluded spot and do my thinking or studying there.
If Im reading a book or writing in a notebook, its somewhat reduced.
The best positive effects come when Im just thinking and walking and looking around.
The stress just melts away for a while.
Youhaveto think about the good in life to get to make this practice work.
I recommend it as a great daily practice for de-stressing.
A full night of sleep essentially refills a persons decision-making capacity.
If you dont get a full night of sleep, you dont refill the tank.
you’re able to operate, but your decision making starts to go downhill much faster than normal.
Dont cut out the sleep.
If it’s crucial that you, take naps.
If youre having difficulty sleeping, talk to your doctor.
Never, ever leave yourself in a state where you dont feel well rested.
Not taking time for yourself leads to a cycle of negative feelings that just escalates stress.
That leads to less progress on the things that are stressing you and lower quality effort.
That, in itself, makes the stressors even worse.
The solution is to block off time regularly for things that are important to you personally.
Maybe that means an hour a day spent reading a book.
Maybe it means an evening a week spent playing games with friends.
Maybe that means a hour a day spent running or exercising.
You retain a sense of importance in your own life.
You dont feel like merely a servant of others, but as a complete person that matters.
Good luck in whatever stresses life hands to you.
Handling Stress Without Undoing Financial Progress| The Simple Dollar
Trent Hamm is a personal finance writer atTheSimpleDollar.com.
Image byAlberto Ruggierivia Getty.
