Comments on: Working mom to-do item: Breathe into your belly http://www.workitmom.com/blog/2007/10/31/working-mom-to-do-item-breathe-into-your-belly/ Thoughts and commentary on the daily juggle betweek work and family Sat, 22 Nov 2008 09:07:36 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Mir http://www.workitmom.com/blog/2007/10/31/working-mom-to-do-item-breathe-into-your-belly/#comment-2708 Mir Fri, 02 Nov 2007 17:55:09 +0000 http://www.workitmom.com/blog/?p=209#comment-2708 Geez, my doctor doesn't even bother to bring me into the office until I've spent an hour and a half in his waiting room, and then he says "You look pretty healthy" before shoving me back out again. Maybe I need to come up to Boston for my next check-up. I'm pretty sure I haven't breathed that deeply for at least a year! ;) Geez, my doctor doesn’t even bother to bring me into the office until I’ve spent an hour and a half in his waiting room, and then he says “You look pretty healthy” before shoving me back out again. Maybe I need to come up to Boston for my next check-up. I’m pretty sure I haven’t breathed that deeply for at least a year! ;)

]]> By: MaryP http://www.workitmom.com/blog/2007/10/31/working-mom-to-do-item-breathe-into-your-belly/#comment-2701 MaryP Fri, 02 Nov 2007 12:19:45 +0000 http://www.workitmom.com/blog/?p=209#comment-2701 What a FANTASTIC doctor you've found! I'm bowled over by the time, the attention, the GREAT questions, the advice. Wow. Does he have a friend who works in Ottawa? Because my doctor is strictly a mechanic. I want more. I do the breathing, but nowhere near as often as once an hour. I am TOTALLY going to do that. I'm not feeling particulary stressed right now. Well, okay, a little anxiety about a few things that comes and goes in waves, but no constant, consistent stress. However, I also find that taking the time to breathe energizes me. This may not be something YOU need, but it works for me! What a FANTASTIC doctor you’ve found! I’m bowled over by the time, the attention, the GREAT questions, the advice. Wow. Does he have a friend who works in Ottawa? Because my doctor is strictly a mechanic. I want more.

I do the breathing, but nowhere near as often as once an hour. I am TOTALLY going to do that. I’m not feeling particulary stressed right now. Well, okay, a little anxiety about a few things that comes and goes in waves, but no constant, consistent stress. However, I also find that taking the time to breathe energizes me. This may not be something YOU need, but it works for me!

]]> By: Florinda http://www.workitmom.com/blog/2007/10/31/working-mom-to-do-item-breathe-into-your-belly/#comment-2677 Florinda Thu, 01 Nov 2007 17:41:02 +0000 http://www.workitmom.com/blog/?p=209#comment-2677 Great post, great timing - and great suggestion from Mandy about the hourly e-mail reminders to take a break and breathe! (But would knowing those were coming every hour be a source of MORE stress?) I've tried that sort of breathing - yes, it really does help, so I should make it a regular practice, but sometimes I get stressed and forget! :-) But getting a handle on stress matters so much to our health; I've had issues with my weight and my blood pressure, among other things, and it's definitely a factor. I start every morning with a short workout, and my best de-stressing activity is walking my dog. (Actually, if you like animals and don't think caring for one would make your life MORE stressful, pets have been shown to be great stress reducers!) Writing helps me unwind, too. Great post, great timing - and great suggestion from Mandy about the hourly e-mail reminders to take a break and breathe! (But would knowing those were coming every hour be a source of MORE stress?) I’ve tried that sort of breathing - yes, it really does help, so I should make it a regular practice, but sometimes I get stressed and forget! :-) But getting a handle on stress matters so much to our health; I’ve had issues with my weight and my blood pressure, among other things, and it’s definitely a factor. I start every morning with a short workout, and my best de-stressing activity is walking my dog. (Actually, if you like animals and don’t think caring for one would make your life MORE stressful, pets have been shown to be great stress reducers!) Writing helps me unwind, too.

]]> By: Jen http://www.workitmom.com/blog/2007/10/31/working-mom-to-do-item-breathe-into-your-belly/#comment-2675 Jen Thu, 01 Nov 2007 17:00:35 +0000 http://www.workitmom.com/blog/?p=209#comment-2675 Is this the culprit you were teasing me about yesterday? Is this the culprit you were teasing me about yesterday?

]]> By: Kate http://www.workitmom.com/blog/2007/10/31/working-mom-to-do-item-breathe-into-your-belly/#comment-2671 Kate Thu, 01 Nov 2007 14:08:48 +0000 http://www.workitmom.com/blog/?p=209#comment-2671 Nataly and Mandy! why didnt i read this before i posted my member note? OMG i so needed this! i am instituting breathing RIGHT NOW! Thank you! and i agree with Mandy - we need a 'beat the stress" group!!! also thanks for the site! going to check that out tonight Nataly and Mandy! why didnt i read this before i posted my member note? OMG i so needed this! i am instituting breathing RIGHT NOW! Thank you! and i agree with Mandy - we need a ‘beat the stress” group!!! also thanks for the site! going to check that out tonight

]]> By: Lee Thrash http://www.workitmom.com/blog/2007/10/31/working-mom-to-do-item-breathe-into-your-belly/#comment-2670 Lee Thrash Thu, 01 Nov 2007 14:06:45 +0000 http://www.workitmom.com/blog/?p=209#comment-2670 Great advice!! I want to try this too. I don't consider myself highly stressed (except maybe this week in particular), but I bet all of us can 'prevent' if we don't need to 'manage' the physical manifestations of stress. Breathe in, Nataly! Good for you, seeing that doc! Great advice!! I want to try this too. I don’t consider myself highly stressed (except maybe this week in particular), but I bet all of us can ‘prevent’ if we don’t need to ‘manage’ the physical manifestations of stress.

Breathe in, Nataly! Good for you, seeing that doc!

]]> By: Mandy at Dandysound http://www.workitmom.com/blog/2007/10/31/working-mom-to-do-item-breathe-into-your-belly/#comment-2660 Mandy at Dandysound Thu, 01 Nov 2007 01:36:49 +0000 http://www.workitmom.com/blog/?p=209#comment-2660 Ouch, whataslapindaface. OK, not really, but definitely a wake up call and I bet many of us who read this can relate! I was checking off the 'me too' box with most of this. Except the "Being an annoying must-know-all that I am I asked a ton of questions" and then I thought you could be my husband (I go with the flow...he has to constantly know why he's going). I have serious stress issues right now, too and I keep thinking it's not stress, I have it under control, it's just a bit of anxiety, etc, etc. WRONG. Trying to be the person who does it all, especially as we get older and have more responsibilities - um, being mom-, really takes its toll. And I'm not old! How to deal?!!? Love that he told you to breathe. Breathing is something we have to remind ourselves to do. I'm good about the breathing. My yoga students love that I remind them to breathe. It's the taking TIME to do it. I remind myself several times a day but I don't spend several minutes doing it. This is yet another good reminder to take the TIME. Priorities. Our own mental state should be a priority. It's so easy to just think we're going to get to that. TIME to get to that. Thanks for sharing this, Nataly. I hope you do take the steps. Try it for two days, see how you feel. I'm currently doing that...when I had a daily yoga practice (and it was only 40 minutes) I was never stronger, more confident or able. I'm working on getting back to it and decided that this time I didn't have to do it alone. Today I checked out yogatoday.com and WOOHOO, clicked on one of their hour long sessions and it was great. I won't use it every day b/c they aren't exactly the kind of teaching I like but it was a great start. I'll need to do it again tomorrow. And hopefully the day after. And it goes from there. I need to make this a priority for my health, my sanity, my children and my husband. Oh, and my big thing is to set an intention. It's different every day but start the day with an intention...some days it's that I'm going to color with Maggie or keep the counters clear or do all of the laundry or make a doc appt or give myself a facial. It's not a checklist so it doesn't feel daunting (and I'm a list maker). At the end of the day, if I haven't accomplished it I look at why but don't stress over it. Acknowledge then let go. Maybe set it again the next day. OMG, I didn't mean to ramble so long but right now this is so close to my heart. Sooo what i need to deal with. Perhaps we should have another group - the beat stress group. Every hour we get an email that reminds us to take 5 and just breathe!!! Good luck Nataly. Ouch, whataslapindaface. OK, not really, but definitely a wake up call and I bet many of us who read this can relate! I was checking off the ‘me too’ box with most of this. Except the “Being an annoying must-know-all that I am I asked a ton of questions” and then I thought you could be my husband (I go with the flow…he has to constantly know why he’s going).

I have serious stress issues right now, too and I keep thinking it’s not stress, I have it under control, it’s just a bit of anxiety, etc, etc. WRONG. Trying to be the person who does it all, especially as we get older and have more responsibilities - um, being mom-, really takes its toll. And I’m not old! How to deal?!!?

Love that he told you to breathe. Breathing is something we have to remind ourselves to do. I’m good about the breathing. My yoga students love that I remind them to breathe. It’s the taking TIME to do it. I remind myself several times a day but I don’t spend several minutes doing it. This is yet another good reminder to take the TIME. Priorities. Our own mental state should be a priority. It’s so easy to just think we’re going to get to that. TIME to get to that.

Thanks for sharing this, Nataly. I hope you do take the steps. Try it for two days, see how you feel. I’m currently doing that…when I had a daily yoga practice (and it was only 40 minutes) I was never stronger, more confident or able. I’m working on getting back to it and decided that this time I didn’t have to do it alone. Today I checked out yogatoday.com and WOOHOO, clicked on one of their hour long sessions and it was great. I won’t use it every day b/c they aren’t exactly the kind of teaching I like but it was a great start. I’ll need to do it again tomorrow. And hopefully the day after. And it goes from there. I need to make this a priority for my health, my sanity, my children and my husband.

Oh, and my big thing is to set an intention. It’s different every day but start the day with an intention…some days it’s that I’m going to color with Maggie or keep the counters clear or do all of the laundry or make a doc appt or give myself a facial. It’s not a checklist so it doesn’t feel daunting (and I’m a list maker). At the end of the day, if I haven’t accomplished it I look at why but don’t stress over it. Acknowledge then let go. Maybe set it again the next day.

OMG, I didn’t mean to ramble so long but right now this is so close to my heart. Sooo what i need to deal with. Perhaps we should have another group - the beat stress group. Every hour we get an email that reminds us to take 5 and just breathe!!! Good luck Nataly.

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