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Best Ways To Relieve Stress

When the stresses of your family, household, job, and life's responsibilities in general start to chip away at your peace and serenity, short vacations are a great way to find some much needed relief. Unfortunately, most family budgets do not include the funds to take a trip when you're stressed.

A workable alternative is an "at-home vacation." It seems impractical, and maybe even impossible, at first, but where there's a will, there's a way. Planning and preparation can take a while, but it is well worth the effort.

First, pick a weekend for your vacation and talk to your spouse to let him/her know what you are planning. Explain your need for a short vacation from your everyday routine, and be sure to explain that it has nothing to do with him/her, that you simply need some time to unwind and recharge.

Next, get to work on the arrangements. If you have children, ask their grandparents or another trusted family member if they can spend the weekend with them. If you do not have family nearby, arrange a trade with a trusted friend. Let them know that you will do the same thing for them in the near future.

Now list all the chores that you usually take care of on the weekend and divide them between the weekday evenings during the week before your vacation. For example, do the laundry on Monday and Wednesday evenings, grocery shopping on Tuesday evening (be sure to pick up a few easy to prepare meals and all your favorite snacks), and light housecleaning on Thursday evening. All the chores must be caught up so that you won't be tempted to spend your vacation doing them. On Thursday evening, pack your children's things for their big adventure at Grandma's.

On Friday when work is over, have a quick dinner with the kids, and then drop them off at Grandma's. Go home and put on your most comfortable clothes. Now you are free to do whatever you want until Sunday afternoon. Close the blinds, turn off the phones (but, of course, be sure to check messages periodically) and enjoy! As far as the rest of the world is concerned, you are away on vacation.

You can do anything you want for the next couple of days watch television, watch movies, listen to music, read, sleep as long as you don't do anything that even slightly resembles work. Do not forget that you are on vacation.

If quiet solitude isn't how you want to spend your vacation, make plans to go out with friends, shop, go for walks, see a movie, but remember, no work. The important thing is to spend time doing what you find enjoyable and relaxing. You'll be pleasantly surprised at how good you feel by Sunday. The stress that was robbing you of energy and peace will be gone, and you'll be ready to pick up the kids and have a special evening with them. Bon voyage!

Learn more about this author, Kim Everett.
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