Tips for Stressful Times at Home

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There is a lot to take in these days. How are you doing with everything?  Today I’m going to share a few tips for wading through this stressful time at home.

With so much uncertainty in the world right now I am happy to know that ultimately God is in control. He loves us so and that is a comfort to me.

(From early 2020: That didn’t make me completely step back and do nothing though. I am definitely one to prepare, so weeks ago I prepped for this extra time at home. I am spending time getting informed of that’s going on, learning the guidelines I should be following, building our immune systems as best as we can, and ordering groceries online (Get $10 off your Shipt Membership here) so we don’t have to leave our home.)

If you are struggling, I’d like to offer a few suggestions or tips for stressful times at home. Take what’s helpful and disregard what’s not!

tips for stressful times At Home

look for the good

If you know you will be home for an extended period of time, look for the good in that. I’m thankful that because I’m home full-time, it’s not a burden for my children to be home from school. I can look forward to extra activities and time together. I’m going into it looking forward to the time together (and so I hope that attitude will overcome any impatience I may have at times!)

Get Outside!

We are doing this plenty! Find a new trail to hike or explore where you know it’s not crowded with others. Walk around and do a Neighborhood Scavenger Hunt with your kids. Fresh air and exercise can make such a difference to everyone’s mood and health. I also have a Nature Scavenger Hunt printable for you.

Read to your kids

Read to your kids…often. No matter the age. It’s such a great time to bond.

Catch up on your own reading

Find some light reading for yourself. Something light and fun might be perfect for right now. Check out a few recent book recommendations here. Here is a list of books I read in 2019.

Knock a few things off your home to-do list

Spend time finishing up tasks at home. I know I have a list of those I plan to do! Uncluttered is here to help if you need guidance, encouragement, and accountability. This step by step online course helps you remove clutter from every room and space to turn your home into a true, restful home. The next round starts soon! Become Uncluttered here.

Be intentional about the news you consume

Decide how much news you should consume. Figure out what amount is best for your stress level. (Getting a daily email from theSkimm can be a great way to just get a few headlines each day. I also subscribe to Morning Brew.)

Be in His Word

Spend time in His Word to be reminded that He is ultimately in control and is always with us. Here are a few ideas for your daily devotion:

• Daily Walk with God: Meditations for Every Day
• The One Year At His Feet Devotional
• Write the Word journals

FOCUS on sleep

You are doing your whole family a favor if you prioritize sleep. Your child’s focus, your patience, and so much more will be better. You are setting the whole family up for a much better day if you all are well-rested.

If you have trouble making sleep a priority, check out these helpful resources: 

• Sleep It Does a Family Good: How Busy Families Can Overcome Sleep Deprivation 
• Sleep Smarter: 21 Essential Strategies to Sleep Your Way to A Better Body, Better Health, and Bigger Success
• Make Over Your Mornings
• How to Create a Morning Routine (includes printable worksheets that I created)

Brighten up your space

Did you grab any of the new Emily Ley designs? There are so many beautiful pencil pouches, journals, notebooks, pens, stickers, paper clips, clipfolios and more. Browse everything here!

There are also bundles available. Including a teacher bundle. I loved the combo of colors and patterns in the bundle below. And you can customize the bundles!

If you are new to Emily Ley you can save $10 off with this link. (Must be a new email address or Emily Ley account.)

Otherwise please shop here!

Learn something new.

If you have extra time to dig into something new, here are a few ideas:

• Get 14 free days of Unlimited Classes with Skillshare. There are thousands of online class options to help you improve a skill set, pursue a passion project, learn something on the side, just learn for the love of learning, and so much more. You can cancel at any time.
• Grab the Free 101-page Gut Health Guide & Essential Oils Protocol eBook and get access to the Essential Oils Revolution Summit.
• Get education on food, health, our immune system, energy, disease prevention, a clearer mind, and more during the Food Revolution Summit which is happening now.

Date at Home!

If you are looking for an idea for a Date Night at Home, check out Date Box here! I plan to share more about it later, but we are had fun playing the game we got in our Datebox. Grab half off your first Datebox this link and code: EMILY

Grab a $20 discount on wine!

Treat yourself to $20 off Wine delivered to your door.

Start a Garden

We have had a garden in the past, but skipped it last year. I’m planning to get back into it again this year. If you are looking to order seeds online, I have heard wonderful things about Seeds Now.

 

Shopping Tips

I am still using Amazon Prime at times, but I’d like to share a few of the places I have been buying from online. I have always liked Grove and Thrive Market and order from them frequently. Grove especially has been coming through for me with products I cannot find elsewhere.

I have also purchased high-quality vitamins from NHC Vitamins. So much Vitamin C! (There is currently 4% cash back when you click through Rakuten before making your NHC Vitamin purchase. If you go here and make your first purchase, you’ll get a $10 bonus from Rakuten!) 

Note on the differences on Thrive Market and Grove: Thrive Market has lower prices (often much lower than you can find anywhere else), but Grove does start you off with free products on your first order and isn’t a membership. Thrive Market has food, Grove does not.

I have ordered few different types of flour, olive oil, yeast, tea, taco seasoning, spices, MCT oil, children’s soap, and much more from Thrive Market. If you want to stock healthy food in your kitchen, get 25% off our first order with Thrive Market. You can get Immunity, Cleaning, and Pantry Staples from Thrive Market. They promise to give the same member-only savings no matter what happens in the coming weeks.

Grove has products like hand soap, hand sanitizer, cleaning, immunity + vitamins, and baby products. While they may be out of stock on an item, they often come back.

Not only do they strive for ingredient safety, sustainability and efficacy, they also will give you a free set of cleaning products  with your first order of $20 from Grove Collaborative.

You get the following:
– Mrs. Meyer’s hand soap
– Mrs. Meyer’s dish soap
– Mrs. Meyer’s multi-surface spray
– Grove Collaborative walnut scrubber sponges

There is also a Grove Sustainable Starter Bundle that includes:

– Grove Recycled Trash Bags
– Grove Glass Soap Dispenser
– Grove Gel Hand Soap
– Grove Walnut Scrubber Sponges
– Grove Flour Sack Towel
I enjoy ordering from both Thrive Market and Grove! (Don’t miss out on getting a few free products from Grove!)

As you make other purchases online make sure you click through Rakuten first. If you are buying online anyways, take the extra few seconds to see if there is cash back through Rakuten. BONUS: They also occasionally increase their bonus for signing up. Get a $10 bonus when you sign up through my link! 

What are you doing to keep your stress levels lower at home?

Originally posted April 28, 2020. Updated April 19, 2021.