Strategies to cope with family stress
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EmailEight practical tips to guide you and your family when dealing with everyday stress and crisis situations.
Stress affects everyone at some point in life, whether it's due to minor annoyances like heavy traffic or major life changes such as job loss or a succession planning. What causes stress for one person may not affect another in the same way. Stress is the body’s natural response to challenges and researchers at MSU have demonstrated that our relationships with close family members can help.
Managing stress is crucial to avoid its negative impact on both physical and behavioral health. Unmanaged stress can lead to high blood pressure, other physical health issues and emotional health issues like anxiety and depression.
Finding effective stress management techniques is a personal journey. While there's no one-size-fits-all solution, here are eight practical tips that may benefit you and your family:
- Recognize stress signs: Stress signs are like a check engine light in a car; they warn us when something isn’t right. For example, do you become forgetful, short tempered, can’t sleep, eat more or something else when facing challenges? It is important to be aware of these signs in yourself and others, like your kids or family members. Keeping a journal can help track what triggers stress and its symptoms. Gaining awareness of our stress signs is the first step in managing stress.
- Engage in relaxing activities: Even when things are busy, taking time for activities you enjoy, such as reading or outdoor activities with family, is crucial. Schedule regular breaks throughout the day or plan family outings to maintain mental clarity and be ready for challenges. Physical exercise and healthy eating can also help manage stress.
- Practice mindfulness: Our minds may often dwell on past or future worries. Mindfulness helps us stay present and calm. Spending even a few minutes on mindfulness in your daily routine can reduce anxiety and help you focus better.
- Prioritize restful sleep: Getting enough sleep each night is vital for your health and your family’s well-being. Good sleep is essential for our health and MSU Extension offers courses on how to improve our sleep. Establishing a regular sleep routine and a relaxing bedtime ritual can improve sleep quality.
- Accept and validate emotions: It’s normal to feel stressed or anxious. Acknowledging these feelings, for yourself and others, children too, is important. Laughter and self-compassion can help manage emotions too.
- Support family needs: During tough times, support your family emotionally and practically. Regular check-ins and offering help with chores or family member care can strengthen bonds and create a sense of security.
- Focus on controllable actions: Instead of worrying about things you can not change, concentrate on what you can influence. Break down big tasks into smaller steps and prioritize them based on urgency and importance.
- Build a support network: Seek guidance and emotional support from friends, family, or professionals when needed. Asking for help is a brave step in managing your stress. There are many support groups and online communities that share similar experiences, like Togetherall for farmers and farm families. Remember, the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is a free, nationwide 24/7 resource that can be reached over the phone, via text or through online chat.
Implementing these strategies can enhance your ability to cope with family stress. By recognizing signs early, engaging in relaxing activities regularly, practicing mindfulness, prioritizing sleep, accepting emotions, supporting each other, focusing on what you can control, and building a support network, you can foster resilience and strengthen family bonds during challenging times. These steps empower you to navigate stressors more effectively, promoting overall well-being and harmony within your family.
Opportunities to connect
Michigan State University Extension also offers a variety of programming and resources to support yourself or loved ones undergoing mental health distress. MSU Extension offers programs such as Mental Health First Aid, which can teach you how to support someone who is experiencing a mental health challenge or crisis.
For those in the agriculture industry and their families, resources and information can be found at the Managing Farm Stress website. These resources include teletherapy services, the free virtual training Rural Resilience, and much more.