STRESS!!!!

[Soggy Bottom Ranch]

Since we started the sewing business here at home, I sometimes get pretty stressed out, and I openly admit, probably really more than I need to sometimes. I'm a "worrier", not extreme, and it's usually just with the business stuff. I'm always "worried" about what has yet to be done when we get really busy, and will I be able to get it done in time to keep my customers coming back to us. Right now I've got some very large orders in for shows this spring, and my regular customer orders keep coming in sometimes daily. It's just my husband and myself who run the business, and having an extra employee is not possible right now.

I'm trying to keep the flow going so that as things come in, they get out to the customer according to the lead time I set. I'm constantly trying to keep one step ahead, and plan my schedule so that I don't fall to far behind. Hubby has been unable to help me for three weeks now because his own work schedule has been very very demanding, and will be for at least two more weeks. It gets difficult because we always rely on one another during these times.

I know these are "small potatoes" compared to the things that some others have to deal with in life and work in general, and that it's just part of running your own small business. And I have to admit, I really do love my job, and am so greatful for the customers we have. But I'd be interested to hear what others do to deal with stress, and if you have any favorite little "things" that you do day to day? Feel free to share your story if you have one also!

 

[backwoodsnanny]

When I feel stressed I try to walk it off. Im no health nut but do like to walk it off when I am upset or stressed. When I cant do this I try to remind my self how lucky I am and how much worse off so many others are and be thankful that my stress is simple compared to those who have spouses in the military or sickly or other issues that make their life so much worse than mine.

 

[billiethekid40]

First off, when I am stressed I try to remember to eat healthy (but enjoyable!) foods, drink lots of water, and get enough sleep. These are just the things I do to keep my body healthy while dealing with stress... some people overeat or stop eating when stressed, or get dehydrated, or don't sleep enough and then they get sick and thats just one MORE thing to stress about.

I also avoid caffinated drinks like coffee when I'm stressed... caffiene already gives me the jitters, I don't need them when I have things on my mind! They also can dehydrate you, and leave you hanging when their buzz wears off.

You have to plan to get everything done right? Schedule your hours of work and the projects you have to finish in a set amount of time? Well, you also have to schedule GUILT FREE me time! This is scheduled time, that you set aside that you have NO COMMITMENTS but taking care of yourself. It takes a while to get used to this, because even if you tell yourself that its OK to take this time, your body has been so used to handling stress that its going to worry for you. Do something that takes up your concentration so you can't think about the things that "need to be done"... remember, you already decided that they aren't to be done now, NOW is ME TIME. You should have a little "me time" every day, and at least a half day also every week.

Another thing that helps, remind yourself why you started doing this in the first place. Did you find sewing theraputic? Did you enjoy working with the patterns? Customer service?

And lastly, you have to try to control that need to worry. We all have to think and plan for the future, its a given, but if you are constantly thinking about what needs to be done next, what might not get done on time, what might pop up unexpectedly, and just plain worrying about the future, how can you every relax and enjoy the moment? If you are already doing the work you need to be doing and you still find your mind drifting to what needs to be done next, stop your train of thought, take a deep breath and either think about something else or just concentrate really hard on what you're doing. De-stressing has a LOT to do with changing the way you allow yourself to think.

 

[Soggy Bottom Ranch]

Melanie,

Thank you for all the advise! One thing that I have started to do, is set goals for myself, meaning goals of what exactly I expect myself to get done on a certain day. I don't like to end somewhere in the middle of a project or step, and I found that at least by setting a goal I set my mind on an end point somewhere along the way.

You did hit it on the head though with some of the things you said. For me, my mind just can't stop working when there's orders to be done, even if I'm sitting on the couch at night after a full day. I constantly feel like I should be doing something else to get a little further ahead, or I should be checking for incoming orders, or possibly doing that invoice I didn't have time for this morning. You know, it used to be where I could stay up till 2:00 in the morning to get things done, but I just can't force myself to do that the older I get .

And I agree, we do all have to remember the things we are thankful for, and that so many others have it much worse than we do.

Life is good!

 

[PaintedPromiseRanch]

wow some good advice! now for comic relief :bgrin when i am stressed i go get donkey hugs! there is nothing like them in the world... and if i can't get to my donkeys, I EAT CHOCOLATE! and despite the comment on comic relief, this is seriously what i do!

 

[minimama]

Um, I make myself sick That is what I am doing today. Recovering from yesterday. Very stressful day yesterdayl Very! Now today I can barely move I feel so awful.

 

["City Slicker"]

Go out and cuddle with little ones, do a show, just being around my two de- stress's me :bgrin

 

[Soggy Bottom Ranch]

i go get donkey hugs! there is nothing like them in the world...

Yup

: I agree with this one for sure..........except I get "mini hugs"! Every morning and night! How can you resist that kind of stress relief?!

 

[Miniv]

I deal with two kinds of stress...........one is during the daytime and the other happens at night.

Each kind needs to be handled differently, IMO. Daytime stress is where getting out of the situation -- preferabley with your horses, take a walk or a drive, etc..... (I do any of those, depending on the mood.)

Nighttime stress is when your mind is going around and around and you're fretting over things there is nothing you can about at that moment. I am learning about drinking some water, and then laying down and going into a meditative mode. If I can't "empty" my mind, then I fantasize about the most wonderful thing I would like to happen to me or us as a family........more often than not this will lull me to sleep.

And SLEEP is definitely a must for stress!

MA

 

[Soggy Bottom Ranch]

And SLEEP is definitely a must for stress!

MA

I do agree with this statement. I find that if I go to bed at a more decent time of the night, rather than staying up until 2:00 in the morning fighting my bodies desire to fall asleep , I accomplish more. I am able to wake up earlier, be more awake, and get down to business a couple hours earlier than normal. The only problem I have is sometimes it's just so hard to unwind at night, and forget the things you didn't get finished during the day. What I've tried to start doing, is not allowing myself to go back to the sewing room once I've come back in from doing evening chores. The minis calm me down, and put me in a good mood.

It's hard when it's really busy though, and there's always something during the day that can totally throw you off track. And then there are those days where it's go go go to beat a deadline, and to make it to the Post Office on time two minutes before they close (my Postmaster LOVES me

: !), that I can feel myself getting so worked up I just get the jitters..........and b****y! What I try to do is take a few minutes every now and then throughout the day to distract my mind in some way or another, one way is this forum, which is why I really enjoy seeing the photos, etc. I will go out to see my minis too during the day, if I'm not on a strict deadline, only because I could waste so much time out there lovin' em up, and giving hugs!

 

[lilhorseladie]

14 chocolate bars and diet pepsi!

I am in your boat. suddenly I feel heavy with stress! As a teacher, I not only teach and raise my 5 kids, but between now and April 15, I will take kids two six speech meets, put on a major production twice and organize PROM. Stress? What's that?

That said, it helps when I overly prepare so things don't hit me too hard and I am ready!

 

[Devon]

I feel liek I'm always stressed. I guesse I could use pointers to deal with it. Everything stresses me out. If someones mad Im stressed if I read something here thatsd only a bit directed at me I stress lol I stress wee man will get sick as I dont have much money. haha. I need to calm down.

 

[Dee]

I go out and plop myself down in the horse pen!

Watching my minis alone puts a smile on my face, but I don't sit for long before they come to me for attention.

I have a 2 year old filly that LOVES to wiggle her mouth (mini kisses)on your face and lips. She loves it when you lightly blow in her nose (No I don't actually put my mouth on her nose). I read thats one way horses know eachother is by the scent of their breath and its very comforting to them.

Dee

 

[Sanny]

UM...yell at my kids or pick a fight with my husband since usually if I'm stressed they are in someway involved in causing it.

: That would be the negative way of handling it though.

Best and most effective for me is either.....

......go out to the barn and clean stalls or groom or work with a horse on something or just hide and hang out and enjoy them and enjoy the peace and quiet until someone tracks me down.

......exercise.....go running or better yet since I started coaching cheerleading again I might pick some music and work on choreographing a pom or dance routine for them, focusing on that clears everything else from my mind.

.......have a glass of wine and take a bath or read a good book (problem with that one is usually I will have kids barging in or knocking on the door or fighting in the other room so I have to get out and intervene.)

....take a nap...even just for half an hour. Put everything aside and just curl up and take a nap. A lot of times I am most stressed when I haven't been getting enough sleep and I just don't handle things well when I am over tired. If I can get the baby to take a nap with me - better yet - because I can snuggle up with him and cuddle and it is just so relaxing.

.......tell all the kids we have to "run errands", leave them with grandma and go out to eat and to a movie with my husband.

.....OR do something fun with the kids, play a game, goof around, have "tickle fights", etc.

I get stressed out every day though just trying to juggle everything we have going on that comes along with four kids of our own, two foster kids, horses, a husband with a very demanding workload, etc.. Sometimes you have to just force yourself to think positive and look for the humor in the things that happen instead of letting it stress you out. Maybe remind yourself of how much worse it could be and count all the things that are good or that you are thankful for and remember to "Don't sweat the small stuff" - which is a good book, by the way.

 

[Little Wee Horse Farm]

Yup -- Sounds like some animals hugs/antics are in order here. I find the most relaxation in just watching or being with my quadrapeds -- either horses, dogs or cats.

Even if they aren't doing something entertaining at the moment, it's just the honesty of their company that helps stress flow away. All of them are always affectionate & attentive. Self-centered of me, I know, but gees, it makes me feel like there's a purpose to life besides getting things done. They do lower your blood pressure & lift your spirits. And I feel like they genuinely like me! That's the best advice I have.

Gotta go now. My dog Ursa is sitting here with a sqeaky rubber duck in her mouth to entice me to get off the computer.

:

 

[Marty]

What you need is an official Marty Mental Tidy !!!! YIP YIP YIP

I'm not the type to light 100 candles and go sit in a bubble bath. I'd burn the place down and It would take two cranes to get me out of it so that one is out.

I'm notorious at biting off more than I can chew. I say that I don't do it anymore, but yes, I still do get in over my head and set way too many goals for myself and get too many projects going at once and I push myself too hard.

I learned to sift through all of them, and make lists of the priority of each one. I do not move onto another project until I go the present one finished 100%. Jumping from one thing to another makes me crazy. I do have ADD so I have to make lists and make schedules for myself and stick to them or I would get nothing done. I completely eliminate stuff that just does not have to be done and banish it from my site.

I'm pretty much done however throwing things and breaking stuff..........

so I do a variety of things to calm myself down. These are some of them:

1. I take off and go to the Mountaintop General Store and sit with the old farmers for a while and just listen

to them picking on their banjos and playing dulcimers......music in most forms helps me relax

2. I light candles while working here at my desk

3. I brush horses and specifically play with Chrissy & Merry Beth who are a complete set of nut cases

and totally crack me up. I watch Knight Star torment Timmy and that is always good for a giggle.

4. I think of Jon Bon Jovi :risa8:

5. I pretty much also rely on people calling me just to yak or say hi. Phone calls just seem to brighten up

my day and give me that well needed break.

6. I clean the house! I will zero in on a specific thing such as something that has been bothering me that I

keep putting off and do it. Such as cleaning my kitchen cabinets of cleaning out a closet, or something

like that. For some reason, I feel that "wow, I accomplished something today" and that makes my

job feel easier to get back to

7. I talk to Michael a lot about stuff . He always understands me

 

[Frankie]

I think stress is a person to person thing. We all handle things different and for some it takes forever to figure out how to deal with it. In my opinion, those who have not been through so much in their life, do tend to sweat the small stuff. So when they get a big thing they are very overwhelmed. I think each person has to find their reliever to make it work for them.

I write and release. There is something about putting it down that makes me feel better. For me it is safer too. If I don't tell anyone, there will be no judgement on how I feel, making it all ok.