CTRL + ALT + DEL – How to minimize stress in your life

Courtesy of Love Quotes and Sayings

I came across the photo in this post while searching for something else. When I read the caption for Control, Alt, Delete, the first thing that came to mind was managing stress. We all experience stress at some point in our lives, but how we handle it can make all the difference in the world.

Sometimes kids can cause undue stress, for parents and for themselves. When these stressors appear it would be nice if we could just press Ctrl + Alt + Delete and start over. Here are a few situations that I have found that can trigger stress:

1.      Your child says “I need a poster board for my project at school tomorrow.” It’s 8pm and you just passed three stores on the way home and your child never said a word.

 

Solution:        Take a few deep breaths to calm yourself, go ahead and purchase the poster board to save your child’s grade. However, let him know there will be consequences…whatever you come up with, take away privileges, add chores etc.

 

2.      Your child announces, “We got our fundraiser forms today.” You immediately begin to think about who you can ask to buy things this time. You begin to panic because you’re running out of willing friends.

Solution:        List a few friends and family on the donation form and just make a contribution in their names.

3.      On the way out the door for school your child says, “oh yeah, I think my field trip money is due today. Here’s the note.” He hands you a crumpled piece of paper from the bottom of his backpack.

Solution:        Hmmm, what would you do here…write a check, send the money to school? Or would you tell your child he may have to miss this trip?

4.      You’ve been asked to serve on a board of directors, the PTO, work with the youth at church and to bake cupcakes.

Solution:          Say, “No thank you” or “I can’t commit to that at this time” and don’t feel bad.

5.      Your project deadline is approaching and you’re only half done.

Solution:          Take a step back and reassess your priorities. What can you move to the back burner in order to complete your project? Perhaps you can delegate some of your other tasks.

When you feel certain stressors rising remember Ctrl =+ Alt + Del. Control yourself by reacting calmly. Think about an alternative solution, and delete stressful situations as quickly as possible.

What tips would you give for minimizing stress?

 

 

Unconditional – A new movie release

Photo courtesy of Wikipedia.

While at a Christian Writer’s Conference last week one of the speakers told us about a newly released movie titled “Unconditional.” It is a faith based movie about a woman (Sam) who loses the love she cherished most.

When Sam’s husband is tragically killed she becomes obsessed with tracking down his murderer. She eventually realizes, “…that the love of God is always reaching out to her (Wikipedia).”

The movie stars Lynn Collins as Samantha Crawford and Michael Ealy as “Papa Joe” Bradford.

Take a look at the movie trailer (courtesy of Youtube). If you are a fan of faith based movies, this is a great time to show your support.

 

 

 

 

 

Your challenge this week is to show someone unconditional love.

7 Signs that you may need to take control of your finances

photo courtesy of veteransunited.com

The other day I gave my son $5 to put on his lunch account. Before I left for work I searched my wallet again to see if I had a few dollars to stop for a coffee. I checked the zippered coin section, then the checkbook section behind the photo sleeves. Nothing. Where did my money go this week?

As I thought about it, there were warning signs that I was nearing the end of my allotted money for the week. I also asked friends about their spending habits. Below is the list I compiled of signs that you may need to take control of your finances.

1.       You write a check to your church and include a note that reads, “Can you hold this check until Friday?”

2.      You order a shirt for your child with his team’s logo, but it costs extra to have his name put on the back of it. You ask, “How much is it if I just put four letters of his name on it?”

3.      You try to get money from the ATM machine, but you forgot your pin number. You keep trying until finally the machine keeps your card.

4.      The fuel light in your car has just come on and you only have $10 in your pocket.

5.      The money you had set aside for groceries had to be gas because the money you had for gas had to be used for something the kids needed for school.

6.      You have to decide which bill you will pay late this month.

7.      You dread going into your bank because you know they’re going to tell you your credit card payment or your loan is due.

If you get stuck in a financial rut what can you do?

1.       Set a budget and stick to it. Distinguish the must haves (needs) from the wants.

2.      Make small changes first. Find ways to make minor adjustments. If you buy a cup of coffee everyday, cut back to a couple times a week.

3.      Purchase snacks for the kids lunches in bulk and make it stretch over a longer period of time.

4.      Plan ahead. Be aware of impulse purchases, spending money on fast food, and shopping when you’re hungry.

While this may not be new information, it can be comforting to know you are not alone. Nor do you have to go through it alone. For resources on financial planning check out the following websites. I am not endorsing either of the websites, but they are a point of reference:

www.financialplan.about.com/library/weekly/mpreviss.html

www.ameriprise.com/budgeting-investing/financial-planning-articles/

 What have been your challenges in keeping your finances in order? What has worked for you?