STRESS!! And how I deal with it..

 Hello Beautiful People
and welcome to my blog.

Stress..
Ever feel so stressed you end up running in circles??
I do... Quite a lot actually lol.
Since recovering from depression I have really realised how much stress I had in my life and how much it has affected me all my life.


Stress, as I'm sure you know, is good for no one and for nothing. It stops us in our tracks and can make us physically sick if it's a prolonged state. Stress can be many different things for different people and knowing YOUR stress factors is key.

What ever your stress factors are, you have to be aware of them and learn to implement rules and tecniques to reduce the stress.
(I learned mine by stopping and taking a 2 min break when I felt I got stressed. I kept a key word list on my phone, so when I got stressed I would quickly write down a few words of what I was doing and why I was stressed, if I knew. Once I had time to breathe again, I would take 5 mins to sit and think through the episode and slowly, I started to realize the patterns and the why's)

Reducing stress for me looks like "planning" and "lists"
Ever a perfectionist, I like things to be in their place and making lists keeps me on track.

I write lists for everything. I keep a planner on my kitchen table where I pencil in ALL things planned for the day. I try not to micro manage but the more I have in my planner the more efficient I am.
I am very much a pen & paper person. I do have lists on my phone, but only the ones I need to keep on hand. The satisfaction of ticking something off on my list is... ahh its amazing lol.

I have been a stay at home mum since my eldest was born 17 years ago. I have 3 kids and happily married. In May of this year I took the leap to become a youtuber. A dream I've had for many years. On top of that a part time secretarial job landed in my lap. As I can work from home I was not going to turn it down. Add to that a love for the gym and martial arts, my days have gotten pretty full.

I love everything I do but no matter how much I love it all, none of us gets anymore then 24 hours in a day. And 8 of those hours I do need for sleep lol.
I solve this by planning.

My kids are old enough to look after each other now. They are 17, 15 & 10 and from they were small I taught them that in our house we work together.
We all chip in with chores and my 2 teens mind the little one when I'm filming or working. (please keep in mind that we have been in lockdown as well as coocooning so we are all home all day)
Once they can return back to school my schedule will change again of course.

Planning however is key.
Because I plan my days as much as I do, myself and the kids know when I need them to help me and when they have time to themselves or family time.
They know in advance when I plan to film, when I'm in the office and when I can just be mum.
I plan as much in advance as possible but the time frames I set for myself are never anymore tight than things can be wiggled around.
I also utilise my time the best I can. When I'm waiting for the kettle to boil I check my emails or reply to messages. I fold laundry and iron as I catch up on youtube reserch or chat with the kids or listen to an audio book.
I film 2-3 youtubes in one go so I can take the evenings when my baby is tucked up in bed to sit and edit. I schedule my social media posts in advance and in bulk.
I schedule in work hours and play hours, rest hours and days when I'm OFF and don't answer the phone or see anyone bar my own wee family.

Its all about utilising my time, planning and working ahead.

Another key element for me is to work out.
Before Ireland went on lock down I was a regular in the gym but as the gyms closed down I joined a gym that was smart and moved their classes online. They still post classes each day and I have discovered that moving my workout time to much earlier (6am) in my day saves me hours each day compared to when I actually went to my local gym.

Working out early in the morning sets me up for the day. As torturous as it can be to get up at 6am over the summer holidays the time saved means that I don't have to stop doing any of the things I want to do. Working out, more importantly, also clears the head and by combining it with breathing tecniques, my day and my head is much calmer.

Breath work is a huge factor for me.
If you want to know more about breath work hit me with an email and I can point you in the right direction as I know just the right guy. I have always been a very anxious person but since I have learned to breathe right, I can sense when stress and anxiety is taking over. By knowing this I can immediately reduce this in both mind and body.

Having learned to manage my stress does not mean I don't get stressed. It means I'm aware of it and work towards not being stressed.
The impact it has had on my life, learning to manage stress, is enormous.
I feel I'm a much better mum for starters. I have over come a lot of insecurites and especially my social anxiety has improved. I'm much calmer and I am better able to be there to support my husband.
But most importantly...

And its so important that it needs a line all by itself!!! In bold...

I have learned to say NO!!!

I say NO to stress and stressful situations.
I have learned to speak up.
I say no if I'm being put in a situation I don't want to be in.
I have walked away from people and things that brought stress to my life.
I say no to being accessible 24/7 just because I have a phone.
I say no to explaining my choices and my "why's".

And I have learned to say YES...
To say yes to people that are a positive influence.
To people who are uplifting and supportive. Online or in person.
To things that make me happy and are good for me even if it means saying no to something else.

Its all about self care guys..
Value yourself as much as you do your loved ones.
I bet there isn't anything you wouldn't do for you kids... your parents, grand parents, best friends...

Why are we not caring for ourselves as much as we do for others??
This is what I have changed.
I learned to care for me, just as much as I care for my loved ones..

And with that my lovlies, I will leave you for this time. I will turn of my laptop and put my phone on silent cause now its time to go and play a game with my babies while we wait for my daughters delicious dinner to cook finished.

Thanks for popping by and for any comments left behind.
Don't forget to visit me on youtube.
I upload videos on Tuesdays and Fridays at 1pm.

 Links to my socials if you wish to connect with me there also:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marleenbmg/
FaceBook Page: https://www.facebook.com/imjustmemarl...
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.ie/marleenmg/
Blog: https://imjustme-marleen.blogspot.com/
DEPOP ACC: https://www.depop.com/mbmg/

Email :
marleengallagher01@yahoo.com

I'll see you next time
Marleen xx