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.

[rootypig]

I have lots of ideas but I don't put any of them into practice apart from leaving your partner if he drives you up the wall

The good strategies:
Taking a hot bath helps me (arthritis)
Yoga and meditation - I used to do this pre DC, but since I've had them it's so hard to get back to - I'm too stressed to start somehow
Morning and evening breathing exercises
Reading books
Being outdoors, and being active
Being by the sea
Realistic expectations of yourself and others (this is probably the hardest)
Accepting help when offered

The bad strategies (ok I do these constantly)
Watching terrible tv
Eating cake
Drinking wine and smoking
Endless hours on MN

If anyone could tell me how to transfer my energies to my first list, I'd appreciate it!

[ataraxia]

My mum could reduce her stress levels but not checking up on how her profession is deteriorating - she's retired so it's not her problem anymore!

[ScrambledEggAndToast]

I enjoy crocheting. I find it really takes my mind off things which are making me feel stressed plus I have the satisfaction of seeing the end result which helps to lift my mood.

[IncaAztec]

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?

Small change would be to eat better I think. Eating at a proper table with the family rather than constantly grabbing snacks all the time. I wish my DH would stop checking is emails/iphone. I think it would help him relax properly of an evening.

I feel stressed about anything health related. I manage things by checking with my GP/practice nurse. Probably too much tho..

[Lovewhereilive]

Love spirael's idea!

Exercise and fresh air keeps us sane. We try to do some every day.

[JarOfDaffs]

Enjoy the freedoms you can and be grateful for what you have in life.
I'm a single mum of two with a disability and an anxiety disorder, this is my motto for life, really!

[littlehen123]

Turning off my brain once the children are in bed. One hour with the hubby then ditch the TV and phones and go to bed falling asleep to my favourite relaxing music CD.

[manfalou]

-Dont take things too seriously if it isn't going to affect your everyday life.

-Get into a routine so that what ever jobs needs doing get done with an hour left in the evening for some downtime. Nobody wants all work and no play.

-Rationalise with yourself before 'flying off the handle' ... sometimes its so easy to give your quick, stressy response that will cause a rift but its doesn't always need to be that way.

[katyk81]

I find the best way to make our day less stressful is to be as organised as possible (this is not natural to me!) so meal plans are put in place, bags and uniforms are organised the night before, homework and school letters are dealt with after school on a friday to leave the weekend free. I try to be flexible with things -so if we don't fancy what's on the meal plan we swap it for another day but we know that come 8pm we won't be starring into the freezer wondering what there is to eat as we will have got something out and prepped earlier.

I also find picking my battles is the best way to be less stressed- my children know what is expected of them and forget like all kids but sometimes a raised eye-brow works just as well as a raised voice and it means that when I do have to raise my voice it is more effective... however, it's easier said than done at 8am on a monday morning!

[janielou77]

Find a yoga class, do a guided meditation on YouTube, smile more, when someone does you a wrong treat them with kindness. Surround yourself with people that make you feel good. Expect good things to happen to you. Don't be too hard on yourself. Remember that change is guaranteed. If you can control it don't worry about it, if you can, do something!

[RhinosAreFatUnicorns]

I do get stressed. Working part time, I feel guilt about my daughter when I am at work and guilt about work when I am with my daughter. I never have enough hours to complete my job and am studying too.

Added to that all the housework, a husband who works long hours, and a desire for perfection, and it all amounts to constant stress.

I think a small change could be to take some more time just for me, outside of the house. I love taking the dog for long walks down the fields. It's an instant de-stressor.

To reduce stress, I have lists and planning. Night time routines include clothes out for the following day, bags packed and lunches made.

[Rosie29]

Fill the car up with petrol when you have time, keep it topped up. Sods law you'll have an empty tank on the day you over slept and forgot to make the packed lunches!

[DoctorGilbertson]

I went on a stress course at work. The lunch was nice, but I'm not sure it helped my stress levels much. Anyway, one thing they suggested was if you are getting really stressed try to count red things as you will really have to focus on something else (and something that doesn't matter) and it might distract you. It didn't really seem to help me, but well, there we go.

[NomenOmen]

I work full time in quite a (periodically) stressful, high-achieving environment, and am also the main child-carer, so feel stressed about juggling those roles effectively. Planning ahead my weekly schedule, in fact, just generally being as well prepared as I can be, is the best method of reducing stress, although I don't always follow my own best advice...

Other things I try to do:

Deal with things as they come up, rather than allow them to build up.

Have fun things planned every week(end) with my child.

Don't take things too seriously. Things sometimes look different even one week down the line. (My husband needs to take this advice - he always lives in the stressful moment!).

Key triggers for stress are: lack of money, and lack of time. Not always much one can do about those...

[ApoqA]

Sport is the best way for me to de-stress. It might take time to find the right sport and the right sporting companions but when you do it should be great fun. I play tennis and badminton. I always have a good laugh and good run around.
I play with my family too. My kids are older so we can play together as equals. None of us are great players but it doesn't matter.

[thesoupdragon44]

I make sure that I am kind to myself and allow myself some time to just be me. Even if that is a quiet cup of tea and a snatched 5 minutes each day.

[fuzzpig]

Making time to read is important. I've been through phases, like my A levels, where I didn't 'let' myself curl up with a book because I felt I could only prioritise studying and coursework. However afterwards I realised that I would've been much happier - and I'm sure just as successful grades-wise - if I'd allowed myself time to read for pleasure too, as the relaxing effect would've benefited me. I also try and make time for things like playing piano and doing logic puzzles (I have a magazine subscription to Beyond Sudoku which is worth its weight in gold, I would totally recommend it to any similarly geeky types :o).

Stop comparing yourself to others. I don't watch lifestyle shows or read magazines and all that stuff because all it does is show me what I don't have.

Slow down. There is a huge amount of pressure to cram everything in and do exciting things with the DCs all the time but I firmly believe 'quality time' is a load of rubbish :o and that families are built on the everyday routines. I also think boredom is really important for DCs and every moment shouldn't be timetabled, there's no need to cram in heaps of activities every week.

Sleeeeeep. It rocks. Get plenty of it.

Allow too much plenty of time for journeys. I rely on public transport and always leave with plenty of scope for missed/late buses etc.

[Bingbongbinglybunglyboo]

Early nights, get organized the night before, rest when you can, all very rock and roll stuff!

[fuzzpig]

Forgot to mention:

Mindfulness - I learned about this as part of treatment for a disability, and it really helps me slow down and be kind to myself and accept the bad feelings I have, rather than constantly fighting against them.

Also diet - I've been gradually trying to improve the family diet, just cutting down on processed food and refined sugar etc. Sometimes I have a bit of a lapse, and it's then that I notice how much of a bad effect certain things have on my mood - particularly sugar, which can make me really irritable, and caffeine, which sends my anxiety through the roof.

[Nottheshrinkingcapgrandpa]

I try to have a relaxing bath once a week, with calm music and a good book :)

[idleweiss]

I always write a list in the evening of things I need to do and keep on top of the following day..this helps me feel a bit less stressed and in control of things. I always try and prepare as much as I can the evening before too, ie, kids & DH lunches made, clothes laid out, all dishes done, etc!! I can get pretty stressed quite quickly if things go pear shaped, so I always think of something that helps make me feel a bit calmer in such situations, humming Oxygene by Jean Michel Jarre usually helps!! Or if I can..remove myself from the root of the stress for a while!

[Petal7]

Choose your battles wisely. Most things are not worth stressing about.

[Bubbles85]

For me, making time for a 10 minute daily bath once DD is in bed makes the world of difference.

[boptanana]

I try to get a good nights sleep and sit down in the morning to check what needs to be done that day do things aren't left to the last minute. I find not scheduling too much into the week for the children gives us time to just be and avoids me getting stressed and repeating come on hurry up we have to be at x or y now , we are late etc

[lolancurly]

Get outside! When the kids are squabbling, the house is overwhelmingly untidy and your head is full to bursting with all the demands that having a busy family means, it is soothing and good for the soul to get out and go for a walk. We are lucky to be surrounded by lovely countryside here and just taking the dogs for a walk and having a bit of a run at the same time clears my head. Take the kids too and turn it into a nature walk. Having a clear out of a room or a drawer or cupboard also clears my head. I find these things need doing in dolly steps and slowly as you get more order in life, you feel less stressed about things.