When Men’s Health asked for vacation and relationship de-stressing tips, I offered these ideas that you can use right now!
- Vacations work well when you are not too tightly scheduled or too unscheduled.
- If you pick some activities, restaurants, and tours in advance and then leave time for serendipity or relaxation, you’ll have a less stressful trip.
- And once you are there, ask the locals what are the best things to do; you may end up at a great local gelato shop instead of a tourist trap.
In the relationship arena, they asked about the stress of the spouse’ job and how it effects the marriage. When a woman (or a man) comes home from a job they dislike, they may often want to vent to their partner. But is the daily venting good for the person or the marriage?
- It’s important for the spouse to know that you support them, and according to a Harvard study, provide empathy.
- Even if the complaints are not reality based, it is the empathy that matters.
- Then move on to enjoying your evening.
- In the long run, the best solution is to find work that suits the Real Conscious you, one that feels as if it serves your life purpose.
But there are often other relationship issues that are more likely to get in the way of couples’ happiness, and there are great solutions for committed couples.
- Problem: Stress in general leaves little time and energy for your relationship.
Solution: Manage stress through meditation, relaxation and having fun with your partner. - Problem: Life stages can present challenges to a relationship. Marrying too young before a career is established may result in wanting a different type of relationship later on. The American Psychological Association has noted that what used to be called mid-life crises is now considered a developmental stage, and is a critical decision making time for the second part of life.
Solution: Examine carefully how your partner can move forward with you. - Problem: Incompatibility is often a reflection that the choice to couple was a mistake in the first place.
Solution: If you are having this awareness, seek counseling to see if there is a way to turn the relationship around. - Problem: If other interests, work, hobbies or too much time with technology are taking up your time, the relationship can’t get the attention that it deserves.
Solution: Find things you can do together, share the things with your partner that you do when you are apart, and take time that is just for you, with no outside influences. - Problem: Communication about money, sex, parenting and chores are critical to a good relationship.
Solution: If these area present communication challenges, listen to your partner and ask them to listen to you. Then make some decisions together about how you will handle things.
See the entire article at http://www.menshealth.com/24-ways-to-manage-stress-better
Women’s Health asked me if the ways that depression, bi-polar disorder, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and other disorders are portrayed in popular TV shows and movies are accurate. If you watch Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, Girls, You’re the Worst or Homeland, you may be asking yourself the same thing.
But positive mental health is no fictional affair! To care for your mental health:
- Exercise – there is research that one of the ways to balance the brain is through regular exercise.
- Diet – Moods change based on how you process food, food allergies, excessive carbohydrates in the diet and many other factors. If you suspect that your mental health is effected by your diet, consult with a dietician or physician to learn more
- Take on only what you can handle; that includes work, family and personal interests. Having too much to do causes a stress response in the body that can become chronic, causing physical and mental stress.
- Hydrate regularly throughout the day. It keeps the mind active and prevents mental and physical fatigue and false hunger signs.
- Talk to someone who can help if you have concerns about your mental health.
And remember, your mental health is a very personal subject, and it is not advisable to compare any symptoms you may be having to those of a proposed disorder of any fictional actor.
To see the extended article in the May issue of Women’s Health Magazine, go to pages 174-185. It is a very good piece on mental health from many different perspectives!