As moms, stress creeps into our everyday lives and most of the time we handle it well. However, when the stress reaches higher than normal levels on a regular basis, your health can start to be affected. Most people think of moms as invincible super heroes and moms even label themselves as supermoms. We may think we are invincible but it’s not true. Stress and good health is a recipe for disaster.
Stress is our body’s response to outside stimuli. Sure that sounds innocent enough, but it doesn’t really paint an accurate picture. When you work from home the day to day activities of not only running a business but also a household can take its toll. The sink is full of dishes, the family laundry is piled high, toys are scattered all over the floor, kids need to be fed, have to start dinner and that’s just some of the household duties that moms wake up (and go to bed) to everyday. Add client work in the mix and it’s enough to make any moms blood pressure rise. This is stress.
If you continue this routine for days, weeks or months even something is bound to happen. Stress can make even the sanest person irrational. Stress needs an outlet and if you don’t find an appropriate one, believe me it will find one for you. Usually the first person who makes a comment (probably a harmless one you took the wrong way) to you gets to meet your inner stress monster.
Stress can cause ulcers, migraine headaches, and depression. It can also lead to poor eating habits. Overeating or eating the wrong things can lead to obesity, diabetes, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure. These illnesses can lead to heart disease and stroke. Can you see where I’m going here? Basically, we’re talking about a premature death. Let’s face it, that is not an option. We want to be here for our family which is why we work so hard in the first place. These conditions can be avoided when we take better care of ourselves. Enlist the aid of your spouse, parents, sisters, brothers, and friends. So often we associate asking for help with being weak. When in all reality it takes strength to ask for help and even more strength to accept it.
As moms, we have to protect our health. What that means is giving ourselves permission to be human and not some superhero brandishing magical powers with her own comic book series. Just be mom…the one who works at home and takes care of her family. The wife, mom, sister, aunt, friend who may leave dishes in the sink or have a pile of laundry to do or may order out because the day flew by and she didn’t make anything for dinner. Be THAT mom…you may not be perfect but you’ll be alive and well. You will have conquered your inner stress monster…now that took SUPER POWER!!!
