Thursday, March 6, 2008

Stress Busters

I sometimes visit this website called "The Happiness Project". Some things she has up there make sense, others just make me wonder, really, do people really need reminders for things like this? She put up a list of stress busters. One of them was, keep gas in the car. My thought to that was, duhh, of course, the car's not going to run on हवा! But I should not get so judgmental, to each his own, I am sure stuff that causes me stress would sound comical to someone out there as well.

Here's my little list:

  • Try and keep clutter to the minimum. A clean home is a happy home!
  • Keep EVERYTHING that you use daily in its place! My hubby taught me this :) If he sees something lying in the same place, gathering dust, for more than one week, he will kick it and say, "इसको फ़ेंक देंगे क्या?" (Should we throw this?) This includes things like expensive jewelery to passports to headbands and scrunchies, any darn thing. If its not in its place, he'll try to throw it! Just his way of making me value my things I guess! Initially I did it out of fear that he really will throw my stuff away, now I do it coz it makes sense :)
  • Have a set schedule for doing routine chores. It helps to not have to think of how/when chores will get done. This used to really work me up! There's dishes in the sink, the floor's not vacuumed, the kitchen floor needs scrubbing, there is SO much to do, when and how will I do it! And I would sit and fret ये नही हुआ, वो नही हुआ! Now if I see something that needs to be done, I pretty much know when I will be doing it and how.
    Eg: I clean out both bathrooms in my house on Wednesday night. Thursday is garbage day for us, so it serves as a reminder to put the trash cans out as well. I buy groceries only during the weekend, that way I know I don't have one more stop after work to the grocery store on any other day. If we run out of something, we just find something else as a substitute.
  • Give 15-20 minutes of head room for anything, try not to have ANYTHING scheduled back-to-back. Packed schedules and overcommitments just don't work!
  • Schedule some leisure time for yourself at the end of the day, so you have something to look forward to. My reward is my books and going over my photographs and other hobby stuff.
  • Get your clothes ready for the next day before going to bed. One less thing to do in the morning is GOOD! Especially thinking of what to wear, now that's a herculean task for the likes of me! (Jewelery has to match, shoes have to match, purse has to match, lipstick has to match, watch has to match, thank god I have only one car, nahi to even that would have to match!)
  • I try to spend some time every morning either walking or working in my yard. Its quiet and beautiful, I really cherish this time that I have to myself, its a great start to the day! Have been doing this for only two weeks now. Earlier it would always be a mad rush to get out the door. Not so anymore!
  • Call at least one person in my family every weekend. That way I keep in touch regularly, and am totally guilt-free (how many of you get sent on the guilt-trip by your parents that you don't call them enough? Now I can say, well, wait your turn, its didi's turn this weekend!)
What are your stress-busters?

14 comments:

--xh-- said...

1) meditation in the morning, along with morning prayers.
2)spending some time with my flower pots - tending the plants.
3)ride to work.
4)ride back home
5)a bath in cold water.
6)music and book

these r kindof my daily stress busters...
when am at wrk, i keep listening to music, and check blogs as my stress busters... :)

the early morning walk can do lot of wonderful things to rejuvanate you :-D
and ur hubby is so like my dad in keeping thinsg @ itz place :-D

aneri_masi said...

@xh Nice list! I cannot meditate, I am too restless, my thoughts are always jumping here and there. And my blogging needs to be curbed :( I spend too much time on it :(

A said...

Wish I could make a list like that and stick to it, I am a big messy, disorganised creature!

Good re...u came up with this list of yours...good going! will think of mine soon :-)

aneri_masi said...

@anjuli ... bahut mehnat lagi hai to make me organized, and even then, I have supervision, I still get the "isko phenk denge" every now and then!

The list helps! A lot! Coming up with it was quite a task, I have so many "hot buttons"! Like hunger and lack of sleep, they drove me completely insane. Now I know I gotta eat and sleep on time, or else...heaven help anyone near me! I think I will write a post on what lack of sleep does to me!

Anonymous said...

i dnt do anything... i have no organizing.. whateva.. i m messed up!

Cinderella said...

My stress busters...??

Zzzzz....is all that I need to rejuvinate my system.
Read my post 'Dollops of me-I' to know.

And yeah, I'm a stickler to clutter free homes and and keeping every stuff right where it should be. I'm very fussy with ppl about that...he he !!

I'd been here before & tried commenting in this post but blogger was freakin out..so wasnt able to. thankgod, I could this time. I dint wanna look disgraceful by ignoring my readers, who take time to read my gibber and give their views, which I totally prize..!!

Thankyou for your lovely words. I'm honoured my lady. And it takes a lot of substance for someone to say to someone that we wanna be like them. And I'm glad I know someone like that now.

:))

Solitaire said...

Actually to always have gas in the car can be a huge stress buster. I know of so many times when I am lazy and wait until the gas crosses the E line and then stress out throughout the drive wondering if I will reach home or not.

BTW, you are tagged.
Check Warm Fuzzies!

Neetal said...

humm... clutter.. is my biggest stress buster... i will start cleaning... if i am nervous or worried... its like to me.. making things better...

aneri_masi said...

@solitaire hmm...I guess I don't get so stressed about it because my car has this indicator of how many miles more my car can go before it will totally halt.
@neeku Yep, I know what you mean! I remember cleaning my bathroom at midnight or something and feeling so peaceful after it was done!

anamika said...

I love your blogs yaar. The way you put your thoughts in words.
Your husband sounds very much like me and my dad I get very stressed if I see things lying around. Even after a late night party i have to clean up everything only then I can go to sleep.
Well my stress busters are.
1) Meditation. I learnt the Vipassana technique and believe me it gives me the energy to go through my whole day's activities.
2)Music specially old songs
3)Cooking
4)Surfing on the net
5)Having a cup of coffee at Starbucks.

Rho Tau GWIS said...

Nice list! I might have to try following this myself..

aneri_masi said...

@veens I guess then clutter doesn't stress you :)

@cinderella Thanks for the comments. Have read all your "dollops" :)

@anamika Thanks :) Glad you like it here! Makes me want to write more, hehe! I LOVE coffee too, can't live w/o it!

@carolinagal Yes, do try it out, its totally worth it. Especially the "schedules" for things you don't like to do (cooking, groceries), just helps to know you have a plan!

Pavi!!!! said...

hey gr8 list...im gonna try some of the stuff u have mentioned!

For the last 2 odd mths im trying to start meditating.but its just not happening!

aneri_masi said...

@pavi It will happen, dheere dheere. I had been trying to wake up "on time" if not early for the last how many years!!! I would do good for a few days, and feel miserable because of the change, and go back to my old ways, and feel bad, ke I can't even do this much. Now I don't think too much about it if I can't get up early every once in a while. There's always another day to try again :)