Whoever said fatherhood would be easy clearly never had to balance their personal life with their family, work, daily chores, spending quality time with the kids, all the while keeping their partner happy throughout the years. Let’s face it, when kids step onto the scene, your priorities tend to change, and more likely than not, something is going to slip through the cracks.
Needless to say, this can create a stressful living environment and put a lot of pressure on your shoulders (figuratively), ultimately leading to a complete mental breakdown if you’re not careful. So, here is your guide on stress management activities at home so that retain the title of World’s Greatest Dad.
Don’t just collapse on the couch – stay active
Fatherhood in the 20th century was a bit different than it is now. Or at least it was different from what real fatherhood should look like! It used to be that the father would come back from work, pat the kids on the head, and then sit down, feet up on the coffee table, waiting for dinner to be served.
Yeah, don’t do that. No matter how hectic your schedule might be, the worst thing you can do is ignore your family, or become passive the minute you come home. Instead, you want to remain as productive and active as possible. By playing around with your kids or talking to your partner and helping out with dinner, you will stay positive, alert, and most importantly, you will bring loving vibes into the household.
Communicate with your family
Open communication is the foundation of any thriving family. You might have thought we would tell you to try to make time for yourself, but that would be wildly counterproductive. Instead, it’s about what you can do to effectively wash away the stress and enjoy your time with your family as much as possible.
As you might have guessed, communication will play a vital role in achieving this goal. Fatherhood can change a man in many ways, and it takes organization, work, and dedication to retain day-to-day happiness, and health.
By talking to your family members about everything from how your day went, to the way you feel, your plans, dreams, and emotions, you will start to get the stress out in the open, and get help from those that can help.
Coffee, the ultimate energy source
Along with plenty of pure aqua during the day, coffee should be the go-to beverage of every modern dad. There are numerous health benefits that come with that distinctive energy surge – also known as “the buzz” – you get a couple of minutes after sipping on that first cup of Joe in the morning or after lunch; and you can make tasty Baileys coffee pods the foundation of a successful, energized day.
Instead of allowing yourself to get cranky when you get tired, or trying to unglue your eyelids in the morning, be sure to make it a habit to gulp down on some healthy caffeine first thing. But don’t forget to keep having water throughout the day too.
Keep stress at bay with regular exercise
The scientific community has proven time and time again over the years that regular exercise can do wonders for your mind, body, and soul, so what are you still doing on the couch? Go hit the gym, go running in the park, play with your kids in the outdoors – just do something to elevate your heart rate and spike the production of those happy hormones.
Before you start complaining how your schedule is hectic as is, just keep in mind that a daily workout needn’t last longer than 15-20 minutes.
You can do it at home with the use of some basic gym equipment,e.g. a stationary bike and a couple of dumbbells. So you really have no excuse for skipping a training session.
Be the leader in your household
Last but not least, be the king of your domain. You might think that you’re the man of the house, but if you’re not actively involved in the daily proceeding that takes place here, such as cleaning, kitchen work, chores, and quality time with your kids, this title will be stripped from you.
A leader is an active member of his domain. So if you want to have it your way and preserve your peace of mind, you will need to be the role model every family member will love and respect.
Fatherhood, although not inherently easy, is the most wonderful chapter in any man’s life. To experience it that way, though, you will need to know how to manage stress accordingly. Let this guide help you lead a happy and healthy lifestyle in a home imbued with love and laughter.
