52 Proven Ways to Reduce Stress!

These are the ones that I have personally found most useful-- especially in juggling life with kids. Get up fifteen minutes earlier in the morning. The inevitable morning mishaps will be less stressful. Prepare for the morning the evening before. Set the breakfast table, make lunches, put out the clothes you plan to wear, etc. Be prepared to wait. A paperback can make a wait in a post office line almost pleasant. Plan ahead. Don't let the gas tank get below one-quarter full; keep a well-stocked "emergency shelf" of home staples; don't wait until you're down to your last bus token or postage stamp to buy more; etc. Relax your standards. The world will not end if the grass doesn't get mowed this weekend. Simplify, simplify, simplify. . . Learn to live one day at a time. Every day, do something you really enjoy. Schedule a realistic day. Avoid the tendency to schedule back-to-back appointments; allow time between appointments for a breathing spell. Become more flexible. Some things are worth not doing perfectly and some issues are fine to compromise upon. Have an optimistic view of the world. Believe that most people are doing the best they can.