What do you do when you get in a funk? Don’t tell me you never do – I won’t believe you (or alternatively, will be insanely jealous).

I was texting with a friend, commiserating about recent hectic work schedules. She always tries to remind herself to have a positive perspective. Or at least try not to complain, and focus on what needs to get done. I usually try to  simplify, focus on what is truly important, and try not to care about the rest (key word, try).

So much of life, stress management, and “happiness” comes down to perspective.
  

An article this month in Working Mother Magazine posits that the way you perceive stress has an impact on how the stress effects you. 

A simple Google search lead me to many supportive articles, including one from Medical News Today:

“It is important to learn that what matters more than the event itself is usually our thoughts about the event when we are trying to manage stress. How you see that stressful event will be the largest single factor that impacts on your physical and mental health. Your interpretation of events and challenges in life may decide whether they are invigorating or harmful for you.”

I like this concept. A reminder that attitude goes a long way in life. 

We have 168 hours in the week, and I don’t know about you, but I constantly wish there were more.

(Evening commute…not too shabby)

A colleague recommended this book to me -have you heard of it? 

  

It makes me laugh – the catch 22 of the situation (you know, finding the time to read a book about how to find the time?).

But even the bullet points on Amazon were interesting:

*Get creative about what counts as quality family time. Breakfasts together and morning story time count as much as daily family dinners and they’re often easier to manage.

*Take it easy on the housework. You can free up a lot of time by embracing the philosophy of “good enough” (this was my favorite reminder – hint hint to myself)

*Guard your leisure time. Full weekend getaways may be rare, but many satisfying hobbies can be done in small bursts of time. An hour of crafting feels better than an hour of reality TV.

I may give it a read. What are your tactics for fitting everything in? Last year I focused on three things that actually worked:

1. Suck it up, set the alarm for 5am and exercise before work!

2. Multitask – commute home with friends. Voila! Time to Socialize!

3. Ask for help. Make lists. Divide and conquer. 

4. Find a creative outlet (for me, this blog!).

Happy hump day.