photo credit: Ingorrr
The stock market has had it’s largest decline in 12 years, and news agencies seem to report more layoffs every week. You might be finding yourself checking your stock investments daily, if not hourly, and your not sleeping well at night. How can you relax when financial news is constantly changing each day and you’re concerned about your families financial well being? What if your company is the next major layoff? My family is dealing with a layoff situation now and the news changes each week for us. We are not going to just sit back and hope for the best, but take action and enjoy what we have right now. I want to preface that this is not a list of ways to forget about your financial situation, but ways to refresh your mind and body and possibly relieve stress.
Here are some ways we are dealing with financial stress:
1. Exercise. Get out and go for a jog or run. I love taking my dogs out and giving them a good run. It helps them relax and allows me to think about something else besides money or finances.
2. Talk to a friend. Find a friend who will listen and see if they want to grab a coffee or just chat on the phone. Be upfront with them if you’re not looking for financial advice, just someone to listen. Call your parents or grandparents and find out what is going on with family news. I’m sure someone is having a baby or getting married. Some good news will be a welcome change.
3. Read a book. Find a book you put down and still need to finish. Visit your local library and re-read a book from your childhood. Stay away from magazines or newspapers during this relaxing period. Ask a librarian for a book recommendation if you can’t seem to find anything.
4. Be a kid. Do something you loved to do as a child. Ride your bike, ride a skateboard, roller blade, or roller skate, just do something fun.
5. Take your kids to the park. If your children are still young, run around and follow them on the jungle gym. I love to ride down the slides with my kids and they love to see a big guy try and fit on the metal slide. Build a sandcastle or play hide and seek.
6. Make something for dinner you haven’t had for years. Maybe you have a fond memory of fish sticks and french fries or piggies in a blanket for breakfast. Make a meal for your kids or friends and invite them over to experience your food memories. You might find a friend who shares a similar memory.
7. Watch a favorite movie. If you have a favorite comedy, watch it. I love 80′s movies and they always make me think about high school or old friends. Ferris Bueller’s Day Off is a favorite of mine.
8. Build something. Work on a project you’ve been putting off for a few months. I’m sure you have a list or know someone who has a list for you already. Build a dog house, bird house, or some shelves for your garage. Paint a room or paint a chair. Working on projects makes me focus my energy on the task at hand.
9. Donate your time. Visit a local homeless shelter or offer to assist at a local animal shelter. Working with animals can be extremely relaxing and will probably benefit both you and the animal.
10. Take a nap. If you’re working 40+ hours a week and running your kids around on the weekends or evenings, try and fit in a power nap on Saturday or Sunday. Just 30 minutes could leave you refreshed and able to take on the new work week.
Again, this is not a list of ways to escape financial stress or financial obligations, but some ideas to help you take back time for yourself. In case you are interested in ways to take control of your finances, I’ve also written articles talking about eliminating credit card debt and establishing an emergency savings account. Spending a little time each week for yourself and your family can help you focus on your finances and work situation. After a power nap or watching a favorite movie, you might just find that you are energized and refreshed.
What are some ways that have helped you cope with financial stress?
{ 2 trackbacks }
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
Awesome list. I find exercise to be the most relief, since I go at it hard enough that I don’t even have a possibility of thinking about anything but what I’m doing at the very moment.
I find moments of silence, like taking a slow walk by yourself, or sitting out on the patio to be very refreshing to. I would say I get 90% of my ideas like this – when you allow your mind to slow down, the chaos of daily life is removed and your brain seems to process all the stuff that was waiting in the background. It’s quite amazing.
I’m fortunate enough to be doing fine financially speaking, but it is amazing how just hearing about other people’s troubles can make you wary, even if your earnings are solid.
I’d add start a vegetable garden or plant some fruit trees to your list. Putting seeds into the ground and helping them turn into tasty harvests makes you realize that your whole ability to provide for your family doesn’t have to be linked to some hours-for-dollars lifestyle. Much of what most of us do on a day-to-day basis isn’t… all that important in the grand scheme of things. Growing food is.
Good list and I do a few of those things as hobbies to take time for myself. I also would add listen to music to that list. Nothing like a good song to get you out of a stressed mood.