When you think of stress management strategies, you picture soaking in the tub, reading a book in a quiet spot, or journaling. These techniques are wonderful for easing your short-term stress, but you might want to consider the long-term as well. 

Being a busy parent can involve putting one fire out after another, and for many parents, it can feel as though they’re just not enough. That’s why it can be worth exploring these long-term stress management strategies: 

Chiropractic Care

You might be surprised by how chiropractic care can help with stress when it’s an ongoing battle you fear you’ll never win. Chiropractic care focuses on the relationship between your spine and nervous system, and on how your entire body feels. Regular sessions may help relieve muscle tension, support more comfortable movement, and make it easier for you to rest and recover between your most stressful days. 

When treating the aches and pains of highly stressed individuals, chiropractors focus on improving joint mobility and addressing restrictions in the spine and other areas of the body. As they reduce tightness and strain, they may make it easier for your body to adapt to daily demands. 

Self-Compassion

Self-compassion might be a new prospect to you, but it’s a worthwhile one when you feel as though you have the weight of the world on your shoulders and must do it all. Treat yourself with the same care, kindness, and understanding that you would a friend who felt they were failing or inadequate. Be gentle and supportive with yourself, and recognize that imperfections, mistakes, and shortcomings are part of a shared human experience. 

Structure and Planning

For many parents, it can seem as though there is simply no way to handle the chaos except work through it. However, long-term structure and planning during the most chaotic times of your day can go a long way toward managing your stress.

For example, if you know that you’re constantly late to school drop-off because the kids can’t decide what they want to wear and are slow to pack their bags, create a routine for performing these tasks the night before. 

If you feel as though you simply have too many tasks on your to-do list, causing you a great deal of stress, use a planner. Prioritize your daily tasks on it so you can let go of the less important, non-essential ones. 

Delegate Responsibilities

A great deal of parental stress is simply caused by having too much to do and not enough time. With that in mind, it’s time to delegate responsibilities to ease your burden. This can undoubtedly help with long-term stress relief.

Start by assigning the kids age-appropriate tasks, such as cleaning up their toys or making their beds, so you have fewer things to do every day. Delegating responsibilities can also make sense in your professional life. If you feel overwhelmed at work and need more balance, discuss the prospect of lightening your load with your superiors. 

As helpful as short-term stress relief measures can be, they don’t get to the root of the issue. By being kinder to yourself, seeking healthcare, and inviting more structure into your everyday life, you may create a strong foundation for a far less stressful daily routine.