Share your top tips for a slightly less stressed existence with Aviva and you could win £250 high street vouchers NOW CLOSED

[AnnMumsnet]

We have been asked by the team at Aviva to find out your top tips for a slightly less stressed life - please share them on this thread and you'll be entered into a prize draw where one MNer will win a £250 of high street vouchers.

Aviva say "Being a parent is an amazing experience, but it doesn't come without its challenges – particularly in today's hectic world. In fact, our Health Check UK research reveals that one in five of us are suffering from stress as we struggle to juggle our work life balance. And a similar amount says that family pressures are contributing to their anxiety. With a high proportion of women saying that they've suffered from stress, we want to help Mumsnetters take steps to tackle the issue.

As the real family experts, we want you to be involved too. What better way to do this than to share your tips and experiences with other Mumsnetters. We look forward to hearing your suggestions".

Share on this thread your tops tips - what is the small change you think you could make which could lead to a big health benefit for you? Or what do you wish your DH/DP or parents would do to reduce stress in their life? How stressed do you feel on a daily basis? What are the key triggers for stress and how do you manage them?

This is part of a campaign Aviva are launching this week where they are working with 10 MN bloggers to give them tips from their experts to help reduce their stress levels - Aviva say "armed with our experts ranging from a doctor, nutritionist and Premiership Rugby coach we want to help the bloggers achieve a healthier and less stressed life. The bloggers will be getting personalised health tips to try for 2 weeks - aiming to commit to at least one for a lifetime".

Here are the first posts from the bloggers:

House of three monkeys

Ordinary Cycling Girl

mummetamorphosis

Mrs England

To Become Mum

Barktime

Johnson Babies

The Beesley Buzz

Mummy is a gadget geek

Expression and Confession

If you have a question about private healthcare and insurance please ask the Aviva expert here.

Add your comment on this thread and you'll be entered into a prize draw where one MNer will win a £250 high street voucher. Closing date: 19th May.

Thanks
MNHQ
Please note your anonymous comments may well be used by Aviva in a booklet, on their website or on their social media channels. Please only add a comment if you're happy for your comment to be used by them.

[lmgeorge92]

I'm all about my filofax: diary, notes, to do list. Keeping me sane as I finish uni/apply for jobs!

[solastyear]

Realising you will probably never get everything done - clean house probably means the ironing pile has mounted up etc.
Make so time to do something you love. I try and get to the gym a couple of times a week and feel so much better for doing so. Even having a shower afterwards uninterrupted and in relative silence is bliss.

[missorinoco]

For me being organised helps. Meal planning, including packed lunches, prepare the lunch the night before. School bags the night before.

I aim to leave 5 minutes earlier than I need to, which saves on stress for dawdlers leaving the house.

Excercise also helps. It make me feel calmer.

[MakeTeaNotWar]

The one single thing that would make me less-stressed and therefore more healthy is more sleep. The DC do actually sleep but with a demanding job and a long commute, I have late nights and am up at 5.30am every day. Add small children to the mix and I am exhausted, so wired when I finally do get to bed that I cannot switch off and lie awake :-(

DH smokes - he needs to stop for his health

[NorkyButNice]

I try to practice mindfulness every day, it means I get a bit of time out for me without having to leave the house or make a huge amount of effort, or spend any money !

There are lots of apps you can download to talk you through the steps and play some calming music.

[Ilovetoread]

As my children have grown I have learnt a major stressor has been significantly reduced by choosing my battles wisely! So dd3 wants to wear only boys clothes, wants to be Harry Styles and will only use lynx shower gel and she is happy, so what! (Draw the line at pants!! ). DD1 wants to put on full make up and style her hair for an evening doing homework and watching TV, so what! At the end of the day there are more important things to argue about - length of rolled up school skirt...

[AndHarry]

Share on this thread your tops tips - what is the small change you think you could make which could lead to a big health benefit for you? Or what do you wish your DH/DP or parents would do to reduce stress in their life? How stressed do you feel on a daily basis? What are the key triggers for stress and how do you manage them?

The small change I'm in the middle of making now is sorting out my house. It isn't Kim & Aggie-esque just yet but the clutter and sheer amount of stuff makes it far too time-consuming to keep looking tidy and I hate sitting down at the end of a long day at work and looking after small children knowing that the house is a mess. So far I've had multiple trips to charity shops and the tip to reduce the volume of toys and general junk and a visit to IKEA to get some proper storage for the things we do use. I already feel a lot better and I've only just started!

I wish my husband would stop working late into the night and get a decent amount of sleep. I also have a very demanding job and sometimes there really aren't enough hours in the day but it seems to have become a habit with him. I'm sure he would get much more done during the day if he was properly rested and we would certaily have a better home life if he was actually present as well as physically there.

I am constantly running at a high leve of stress and I know it's bad for me. Snap-triggers are running late and having people over. I try to minimise lateness by having as much as possible organised in the evening for the next day. Having people over usually stresses me out because of the state of the house so my deep de-clutter should hopefully help.

[Narahs]

I used to have constant shoulder pains bought on by stress and become anxious over the smallest hurdle. Regular exercise and monthly full body massage have really made a difference to my stress levels and general wellbeing.

I do a lot of home workouts because going to the gym is not really possible with two children, a degree course and my own business to run! I have recently taken on running, I do this early morning and even though I'm not running much, the little that I do has such a positive and refreshing effect on my physical and mental wellbeing, it's addictive! The key to long term exercise is to find what you enjoy.

I was introduced to massage therapy by a friend who is qualified in a variety of treatments, she does something different every month and I am hooked! These treatments are like a workout in themselves and i find that my muscles respond to daily exercise a lot better since I have been having massage treatments. So far I have had Swedish, Deep Cleansing and Hot Stone massages.

[whattoWHO]

Lists, online shopping, accepting that not everything can be perfect (eg housework).

Going to the gym feels like a chore, but definitely releases feel good hormones.

Making time to enjoy my DD, doing activities together.

I work pt, DD goes to holiday club during school hols. Sometimes I book her in for the full day despite me only working 5 hours, so that I can go shopping or have a wax or sit in a cafe. I wish I didn't feel guilty for this.

[TopsysMum]

Not being in work certainly helps (I'm currently on mat leave) which says something about my job.... Making sure everything is ready for the morning certainly helps as does keeping to a routine.

Spending time as a family helps distress me too. Especially if it's somewhere that the kids can run and be happy.

[TopsysMum]

Distress doh, destress

[RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie]

I work full time as a teacher and have two teens, so there's usually some reason or other to feel stressed. But the following help (sorry for any repetition):

• keeping wardrobe organised so that I always have something to wear without too much faff
  
• meal planning
  
• groceries delivered
  
• going for a walk
  
• having a bath with a book (I aim to do this pretty much every day and it's unusual if it doesn't happen)
  
• smiling, even if it's through gritted teeth to start with
  

Small change for big difference = iron tablets. These have made a huge change to how I feel.
What I wish dp would do = watch the television less. I hate the constant background noise.

[miljones1]

I never check work email when I am not working...I also try to plan ahead as much as possible so I don't get that last minute panicked feeling! Keeping the house relatively tidy reduces my stress levels as well - and giving myself sometime to just goof off is helpful!

[GrasshopperNchipmunk]

I live for Thursday evenings. Two kids in bed by 7pm, husband at work. Bliss....It's the only time in the week that I truly have to myself... if only I didn't have a screaming 4 month old giving me grief!

I feel like I have a fairly stressful life, work full time in a stressful/ emotional environment, have three kids under 4yrs old, husband works weekends and most evenings so barely see him. Currently trying to sell the house n buy a new one. Some family issues.

Seriously, what keeps me sane most of the time is perspective. No matter how hard my life can be, it's not a patch on what other people experience. Keeps my head straight.

Things to look forward to also play a huge part in keeping a stress free home - holidays, short breaks, days out etc etc. We always have one or two things lined up to look forward too.

I also love the little things in life, great customer service, getting things for free, the stranger who makes you laugh, the stranger who stops and helps when i've got a flat tyre, you know, that kind of thing.

[Maiyakat]

I wish I had the opportunity to do more exercise, but as a single mum it's difficult to get the chance for anything more than running round the park or climbing up soft play!

[BlackeyedSusan]

relieve stress? well I comfort ate and put on half a stone, so not the way to do it. attempts to reverse this: eat more vegetables, try to get to bed earlier, give my self a break, try and exercise with the children... (which basically is running round the park) in spring I buy the cheap dafs from morrisons to grow and cheer up the kitchen.

the small change I made was increasing fruit/veg portions to ten per day.

[animaldyoll]

Being a working single mum to two children with additional needs, I find myself getting slightly stressed at times. I find the easiest way to relax is to light a candle grab some lavender from the garden and chuck it in the bath, I have also been listening to relaxation music on you tube, it seems to take the edge of the day and the tinnitus. Family walks are always good to clear the cobwebs and having fun and laughing together is a great stress buster :)

[ErnestShufflebottom]

Make packed lunches the night before. Sit down with a good book and a hot chocolate and read when ds is in bed. Fill the freezer with meals so that I can just bung.things in.the microwave. Have a lovely hot bath with bubbles and candles. Make sure that all shoes are lined up by the door so there isn't a mad rush to find them in the morning. Complete permission slips as soon as I receive them and place in book bag

[iwantavuvezela]

My top tip to myself would be to start exercising again. It makes me feel better, and i really really need to include in my week.
I think the othr thing would be to just slow down a bit, know that this part of life (small child, working) is not for ever, and not to rush it along too much ..... like the baby years this too would pass!

To keep my central goals focussed, i have thought about what I would like to do, and have been reading more (enjoying this, and spending less time on the internet)
i need to include the exercise more thought ...
Continue to eat well as this makes me feel good / have energy /

and of course, when i feel like i am too stressed, pick up the phone, make a cup of tea, and have a laugh with a friend, always makes me feel better.

[itisntme]

I expect getting off mumsnet and doing some excersize in my rare moments of quiet would help ... but there again, so does sitting down with a cup of tea for a few minutes if i get the chance

[Uzma01]

I find when I plan my days/weeks - I'm more productive & less stressed. Lists help; batch cooking is a life saver & organising the DC's things ahead of time helps get everyone out of the house in good time.

[Uzma01]

Also, every few months I go out for a meal with my mummy friends - I organise it, which can be a tad stressful - but it's so worth it when we all get a 'night off' together!

[MrsLoada]

Working not quite full time, dd 12, ds 11, dh working full time and two cats so it's stress full trying to organise everyone. My life saver is my family google calendar . Every thing we do is on it it's on all our phones, my tablet family PC so no one has an excuse they didn't know something is happening.
Also I bit of chill out time on your own is great weather it's a hot bubble bath and book. A walk, or a cuppa on your own in the coffee shop while doing the shopping. Just 5 minutes on your own is all it takes.

[WiggleGinger]

Working 80% of a full time contract helps heaps!
Being open & honest with my husband in all areas no secrets no passive aggressive tendencies. Accepting I can't do it all, I'm not super woman & I don't need to compare my ways to those of other people.
I am a firm believer in my child a achieving milestones in her own time & not becoming hung up in what other kids do!
Make time for me, for my husband & my child. Also for us as a family.
Eat together & TALK to each other. But also accept that there are times when we want peace & to be alone / just want to watch TV!

[RedCherry]

Everyone gets stressed and most people my age are juggling kids/jobs/household chores. I always make time to meet up with friends for a cup of tea (or a wine) and a chat. Sharing your stress helps you get it off your chest! You can have a joke about the things that have gone wrong that week but also remind yourself of the good things that have happened.