8 Ways to Cope when You Need to Escape ...

The idea of going to a yoga or meditation class may seem a bit of a cliché for coping with stress, but it’s worth trying classes like this. Not only are they excellent for boosting your health and reducing stress, but it’s beneficial to have a regular session away from your problems – time when no-one will bother you.

If you have a full-time job, small children and a house to look after, time just for yourself becomes very rare. The need to escape can be much more frequent though! So it’s well worth trying to schedule some ‘me’ time. We all need it, so get someone to babysit and do whatever makes you happy – be it going to the cinema alone or simply quietly reading.

It’s strange how we all seem to assume that our cellphones must be switched on at all times – as if we have to make ourselves available for anyone who wants to speak to us. That simply isn’t so. Sure, there are times when we may need to be easily contacted, but when that isn’t the case, don’t be afraid to hit the off button and enjoy some quiet time, knowing that you can’t be interrupted.

Do you feel guilty about complaining, and that you should consider yourself lucky to have a good job, a nice home and healthy children? Even ‘positives’ such as these can be stressful at times – looking after a family is not easy – so find someone to talk to about your feelings. Doing so can help alleviate any resentment or negative feelings.

Many of us try to take on too much, or think that there is no-one to share the burden. But if you are not coping, then tell someone. Look for practical help if you are a carer, and explore ways of easing the situation. There are lots of possibilities out there, but people won’t know that you need assistance unless you tell them.

Whatever your situation, it is absolutely essential to get away from your regular environment every now and then. This is doubly important if you have stress in your life, which is when you particularly need to escape your daily life. A mini-escape is to take a weekend trip – we all have somewhere within easy reach that’s worth visiting.

Look for ways of reducing the stress, before it all gets too much. Remember that it is important to look after yourself – what good will you be to other people if you are worn out and ill? Work actively towards managing your stress.

Unfortunately, however much we need to escape it’s generally not that feasible, because of family, work or lack of funds. As nice as it would be to take a month off, it’s often not affordable – the rent still has to be paid. So accept that it’s not realistic, and find other ways of escaping, even if only for brief periods. It still helps!

I imagine that everyone reading this has longed to get away from it all at some point? Did you ever manage that, and if not, how did you cope?

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