Tips to Make Your Home Less Stressful

Your home is supposed to be a place where you can relax and escape the troubles of the outside world. But for many, it can be just as bad as the outside world or worse. Unfortunately, the digital age has created a world where you are always connected to everything and everyone whether you like it or not. So now, it takes a more conscious effort to protect your home from stressors and maintain a peaceful environment. And this is crucial to not only your mental health, but your physical health as well. So here I’d like to go over some tips to help you make your home less stressful.

What Is Causing Stress in the Home?

The cause of the stress in your home varies a lot from person to person. For many who are parents, it is the craziness of having kids running around. Others bring their work home with them so that it seems to never end. Typically, it is whatever causes you to feel that you can never quite relax. So an important step for most is to think and identify what things are directly causing stress in the home to be able to address those first. Putting off things that need to be done can be a huge source of stress. So if you know there is something that is stressing you out, the quickest way to get rid of the stress is to take care of that thing. It sounds simple but you’d be surprised at how many people deal with stress for something that they are able to simply take care of.

It is also worth mentioning that your own mental health can also be an attributing factor. Some people are so on edge that even a seemingly peaceful home can be stressful for them. This is hard because you may try hard to fix the environment around you when it is really your low stress tolerance that is the issue. So it is always important to simultaneously work on yourself to be a less stressful person or someone that is more resilient. Make sure you are taking care of yourself, eating well, and sleeping enough. Otherwise, it may not be a stressful house, but you carrying your stress wherever you go. Try breathing exercises or meditating first of all but if your stress is simply unmanageable, it may be time to seek more professional help.

However, for those that don’t fall into this category and notice their house just isn’t quite as stress-free as they’d like, try these 7 tips.

Tips to Make Your Home Less Stressful

1. Organize clutter

This is probably the biggest tip that you will see recommended everywhere for less stress in the home. There’s a reason for the Chinese art of feng shui which believes there is a harmony and balance of energy when objects in a room are organized just right. So start there. Throw away trash and create order out of chaos. It is hard to have inner peace when your surroundings are anything but that. And even if you can’t maintain the entire house because of children, etc., at least create one clean and organized space for you as a sanctuary. This would preferably be your room where you can relax at the end of the day and sleep. There is also something about the very act of organizing and cleaning that brings stress-relief. 

2. Make a schedule

Schedules can be great tools to alleviate stress in the home. When used correctly, they can create less to think about because your typical activities are already planned beforehand. And less to think and worry about means less stress. So make a schedule of when you wake up and when you go to bed. Eat your meals at the same time. Maybe you have set times each week for work or fun. When things are unpredictable, they cause anxiety. For this reason those with autism for example feel much less anxiety when they have structure and routines. Make your life more predictable and you will see benefits for sure.

3. Set limits with technology

Technology is the culprit for a lot of our anxiety in the 21st century. For this reason so many more youths are anxious now than in the 80s. Smartphones give constant connection to the outside world and the brain can never seem to get a break. (see, How Your Phone is Increasing Your Anxiety) Also, television can contribute as well. Many experts believe that you should never have a T.V. in your bedroom. The blue light from the screen will keep you from sleeping well at night and it also invites the world and its problems into what should be your most sacred space. Keep the T.V. in the living room and maybe set a time where you will put the phone away from the night to give yourself a break. Believe it or not, it doesn’t have to be by your side 24/7.

4. Create a calm ambience

This can be based on preference but smells and sounds can help create a more relaxing atmosphere. Light a candle or spray something that smells nice. This is why aromatherapy is a thing. Certain smells such as lavender can instantly create more relaxation. Play some calm music in the background as well or whatever makes you feel at peace. This will just be icing on the cake if you’ve already done some of the other tips.

5. Serve others

A lot of stress in homes with larger families is due to contention among family members. Anger and frustration in the home makes it nearly impossible to be at peace. One way to help alleviate that is to foster service in your family. If you are angry at someone, serve them. It helps you to no longer be mad and it makes it hard for them to be mad at you. And that creates a chain reaction where people are helping one another in the home and it will foster more love and peace.

6. Incorporate nature

There is something special about the natural things of this world. Just looking at a scene of a mountain or a beach brings calm feelings. Try to bring more nature into your home. This could be through natural plants, pictures, natural light, etc. Also, make use of your outside space or yard if you have one. Spending time outdoors is great for your mental health, so if you can do that and have some of the outdoors inside with you, even better.

7. Accept imperfection

Now even though we just listed out some tips, they will never be implemented perfectly, and if we are expecting that, it will just be another source of stress. So do what you can to try and make the home less stressful, but be content with progress. Things will never be perfect so it is important to accept that and to be grateful for what you have been able to achieve.

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Everyone wants to have more peace in their lives and we all need more of it. These tips will help you to achieve more of that in your own home but feel free to read more at TotalWellness101.com for even more ways to live your best life!