subject: 3 Relaxation Techniques To Cope With Stress During A Move [print this page] According to US Census Bureau statistics, roughly one in six Americans moves each year. When you average this out over the course of a lifetime, the average person may move up to 11.7 times!
Clearly, moving is a fact of life that is difficult to avoid, unless you plan to stay in the same home throughout your childhood and beyond. And as many seasoned movers are quite familiar with, moving is also known as one of lifes most stressful experiences, right up there with getting married and having a baby.
If you want to survive your next move, especially with a family involved, its time for a preemptive strike. You can grab the bull by the horns and tackle stress before it gets to you by using these stress-busting relaxation techniques during your next relocation:
1. Deep Breathing. Although this relaxation technique may seem obvious, taking a deep, cleansing breath is worth its weight in gold when youre trying to deal with the stress of packing up every room in your house before the movers arrive. The best part is that you can practice deep breathing while engaging in other activities, like packing, lifting boxes, and organizing paperwork to move to your new home.
To practice deep breathing correctly, its important to breathe from your abdomen, inhaling as much fresh air as possible directly into your lungs. By breathing deeply instead of shallowly, you will draw in even more oxygen, which will naturally help to relieve anxiety and tension.
2. Visual Imagery. This technique is much more effective than it sounds at face value. If you dont feel like you have the time to relax, let alone breathe, you can still visualize yourself as calm and at peace throughout the moving process. This technique works best if you can visualize specific situations that could cause you tension in a move.
For instance, your kids may throw a tantrum about moving to a new house, or you may accidentally break your favorite vase when loading a box into the moving truck. Instead of throwing a tantrum of your own, prepare in advance by picturing how youll handle a stressful situation. You may need to take a break to talk your kids through the move, or you can detach from the situation by telling yourself that you can buy more accessories to decorate your home after you move.
3. Show Love. If you find yourself in stress up to your ears on moving day, take a moment to cuddle with your toddler or give your spouse a hug. The funny thing is that physical affection is normally the last thing that you want during a busy, stressful day. But its exactly what you need to release tension and feel like your old self again.
If youre sick of calling your landlord, utility company, and credit card companies to change your address, take a moment to connect and unwind with your spouse to receive the emotional support that you need to make it through the rest of the day in one piece.
