Top 5 Stress Busters for Worn Out Parents

I've been feeling pretty stressed out lately. So I've been trying to come up with ways to cut back on the chaos around my house or at least soften the edges a little bit. And after reading lots of articles on said subject, I've come to the conclusion that I'm not going to be able to get rid of all my stress. It's just a natural byproduct of life. But I might be able to limit it in some fashion. And so I present the Top 5 Stress Busters for Worn Out Parents:

1. Stop procrastinating. Procrastination leads to stress. For me, this means forcing myself to spend 30 minutes a day tackling something on my list of "Onerous Tasks That Must Be Done." You know what I'm talking about - that phone call to the IRS, the bill that needs to be mailed.

2. Say no more often. The world will not end. You'll see. Someone else will pick up the slack.

3. Unplug your phone. I had mine disconnected. I'm totally cellular now. And very few people have my cell number. Ah, the sweet sound of silence.

4. Take things one day at a time. Try not to look ahead to far and see trouble coming. This is a hard one for me, but I'm working on it. Get through each day as it comes. I've found that my worst fears hardly ever come true. Somehow in the end, it all works out.

and my favorite,

5. Relax your standards. You do not have to be perfect. Your house does not have to be perfect. Your kids do not have to be perfect.