With the pressures, conflicts and stress affecting most people today, many people overlook the only place and sometimes the only place they can go for peace of mind: their home. Think about it, your home is the only place where you have full control of the environment, atmosphere, and elements. With so many distractions in our lives, we often neglect the simple yet powerful steps we can all take to make our home a more peaceful, comfortable, and restful place.
Even if you’ve taken the time to make your home a peaceful place in the past, it’s amazing how little stress, as I like to call it, can creep in. You will soon get used to small tensions without realizing it if you are not careful. Like clutter, noise, and disorganized clutter.
Due to the high rate of stress-related illnesses affecting more African Americans, it is vital that we find and use the many ways to reduce stress in our lives as much as possible. According to a university study, twice as many African-Americans die of high blood pressure than whites.
The University-sponsored study also found that, compared to whites, hypertension develops earlier in life and is much higher in African-Americans. Many factors contribute to this wide gap, including diet, discrimination, economic and legal injustice, and access to affordable health care, to name a few.
But another area has been discovered that contributes to the growing problems of hypertension in African Americans. That area? Home.
Because most of us spend so much time at home, it’s vital that we take steps to make our home as stress-free as possible. Because this is the area that we have complete control over, it is important that we use that power as a source of stress relief.
Here are 5 tips to make your home more stress free.
1. Organization relieves frustration.
This is not just a nice rhythm but it is a fact. A major source of frustration and stress is not being able to find something when you need it. A cluttered, cluttered, and disorganized environment is a major source of stress that you can quickly get under control with a little organization.
2. Let the sun in.
Study after study continues to confirm that people are happier when we have natural light. Natural sunlight releases chemicals in the body that promote a sense of emotional well-being. So make sure to open the curtains during the day when you’re home and let in natural light.
3. Too much information.
We live in an unprecedented time, the information age in which we can know what is happening around the world with the flick of a switch. We can receive news and information 24/7… 365. The only drawback? Information overload.
Make sure to take a break from the news at least one day a week. It can be difficult if you’re not used to it, but it will do wonders to help you manage stress at home. For example, turn off the news and go for a walk, play catch with your dog, play tag with your kids, or a board game you might even, … swallow, sit and talk with your kids.
4. A picture is worth a thousand relaxing words.
Our grandmothers had the right idea. Now the science has finally caught up. Psychology has discovered that images are excellent for reducing stress.
Make sure you take advantage of this. Having calming images of natural landscapes, inspiring people you admire, as well as family members can help you relax emotionally.
5. Practice preventative maintenance.
When it comes to home ownership, it’s much cheaper to prevent a problem than it is to fix or replace it after it’s broken. Another major source of stress for most homeowners? Breakdowns and unexpected repairs. I can get an amen.
These ideas may seem simple at first glance, but you’d be surprised how many people overlook them, maybe even you. Furthermore, time continues to show that simple ideas work best. After all, it’s the complicated, confusing, and hard-to-understand ideas that cause stress in our homes and lives.
Rules of simplicity (KISS), especially when it comes to managing stress. Now you know.