5 Stress Busting Techniques For Dads

Lately I’ve been putting a lot of pressure on myself to achieve several big goals. And although I’ve made great progress, I have come to realize that I’ve become hyper-focused on my goal attainment.

As a result,  I’ve become a bit stressed and it is affecting what is most important….my family.

But it’s not only affecting my family, it’s affecting almost every area of my life… including my health.

So I had to remind myself how to get out of my head, relax and eliminate stress. All of which are critical to staying healthy and being a better Dad.

With that said, I thought I’d share my Top 5 Techniques To Slay Stress.

And here they are…

 

1) Breathe

It’s absolutely amazing how a few minutes of concentrated breathing will relax your entire body.

If you’ve ever watched a child sleep, their little bellies expand as they inhale and then go down as they exhale. They do it right. Over time we forget how to do it properly.

Try this and see how you feel….

Lie flat on the floor and place both hands on your stomach.

Take a deep breath in through your nose while you relax your stomach and let it expand outward (like a balloon inflating).

Then slowly exhale through your mouth and let your stomach come back down (like a balloon deflating).

Just focus on the breathing and your mind and body will relax.

Simple but incredibly effective.

 

2) Listen to good relaxing music

This one is subject to your own preference.

For me pretty much anything from Jack Johnson or Nora Jones really help me to relax and forget about my worries for a while.

There is just something about music that can move us in a way that nothing else can.

And the beautiful thing about music is you can listen to it while doing other things like driving your kids around, exercising, reading or anything else.

 

3) Throw a “Dance Party”

I know it’s fun to go out and party but I’m talking about a family Dance Party.

This is one of the best activities we’ve discovered as a family and it works like this.

Put on some good upbeat music and get the whole family in a room.

Next….let yourself go and jam.

When I say “jam” that means just do whatever you feel like doing. I personally jump around like a maniac but that’s just me.

Think that’s cheesy? Get over it.

It’s absolutely hilarious especially when you see what kind of stuff your kids come up with.

Not only is it a good cardio workout but it’s an amazing way to relax, let go of your worries and just be present in the moment.

Plus you will laugh your ass off which is not only fun but also very good for your health too.

 

4) Be a kid again

Last week I was over my brother’s house and he and I were outside with our kids catching lightning bugs.

At first it was a little tough, I was stuck in parent mode just focused on making sure they didn’t wander off into the street etc.

But then I got into it, running around pointing out where the big ones were flying and high fiving the kids every time we got one of those babies into the container so we could watch them light up.

Man did that bring back memories of my childhood.  It felt so good to connect to those early years of being a care free kid when it was ok to go outside and spend hours catching bugs.

Sometimes we just need to do that…let go of being such a “parent” and be care free and in the moment like a child.

Just because we grew up physically doesn’t mean we have to stop doing the stuff that was fun when we were kids right?

Guess what? It’s still fun, so just get out there and do it.

 

5) Get Creative

Kids are so in touch with their creative side.

Unfortunately as we become adults and take on more responsibilities, we get stuck in the left side of the brain with our To Do Lists, Projects etc. and we lose touch with our ability to connect with our creative side which is such an amazing gift.

Getting creative forces us to think of possibilities.

You are able to “create” not forced “to do”.

The possibilities are endless.

You are free to let go and do what you want instead of following a strict set of criteria.

No more boundaries…let your mind go and let the magic begin.

Did you forget how to be creative?

Go out and buy a Play Dough kit, bring it home to the family and go nuts.

It’s awesome and you will once again, laugh your ass off.

What about you?

What do you do to relax and get rid of stress?

What kind of creative things did you do as a kid and what can you do now to get back in touch with your creative side?

I could also use some more options for relaxing music…got any?