Yes, with just under 7 months to go until the big day, I am starting to feel the pressure. It helps to be organized and use good time management skills, but what about specifically managing the stress that is bound to come along with planning such a major event? I sought out some good advice and http://www.stayhitched.com/stress.htm has the best plan for managing pre-wedding stress I have seen. According to stayhitched, there are 4 key components in stress management:
1.) Recognize and understand the signs of stress.
They can be a bit different for everyone. Perhaps you get irritable or moody. Maybe your stress gives you headaches, stomach aches, or tight muscles. You may also have racing thoughts, especially during downtime, like as your trying to fall asleep at night, when you can't seem to quiet your mind. Don't worry, read on!
2.) Identify and understand the source of your stress.
Who wouldn't be stressed planning a wedding? With all of the pre-wedding decisions, expenses, and expectations, it's no wonder and it's normal to be a bit stressed! Not to mention, life doesn't stop for us because we are planning our wedding. Additional day-to-day stressors will compound the stress of wedding planning whether, it's running late for an appointment or stress at work or school, pick out the things in your life that are bothersome and stressful to you and ask yourself why this particular thing is stressful to you.
3.) Learn to manage controllable sources of stress.
Realizing that you have limited control over all of the aspects of your life and your wedding is key. On your list of stressful things, what are the items that you have control over? If you are DIYing invitations, you have control over the design of the invite, when they get sent out, etc. What you don't control is when the post office delivers your invite and whether Uncle John remembers to RSVP. Here are some helpful ways to take control of stressors:
-Keep an ongoing conversation with your partner to ensure your wedding plans reflect both of your desires.
-Reexamine assumptions about how much you expect yourself to handle. Delegate whenever possible.
-Accept that there are limits to your control over your wedding and that a few imperfections or snafus are bound to happen.
-Defer some social obligations and lighten a heavy workload if at all possible.
4.) Support yourself during stress.
So what about what you can't control? By the way, if there are no items you can't control on your list of stressful things, you may need to reevaluate! Here are some ways to cope with stress when you have little to no control over the stressor:
-Get adequate sleep.
-Exercise. Make time for your workout! Exercise regulates brain chemicals which can greatly reduce stress!
-Eat regular, balanced, moderately-sized meals. Don't over-eat and don't skip meals. Remember your fruits and veggies!
-Avoid excess sugar, caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol. You don't want to crash from your sugar high mid-way through your day and definitely don't want a hangover while trying to plan your wedding!
-Learn relaxation techniques. Meditation, positive self-talk, creative visualization, or just deep breathing can all help!
-Maintain your perspective, talk your stress over with a trusted friend.
-Make time for FUN! This is a happy occasion, have a good time!
-Make time to connect with your partner. I know I feel better after Bill and I just set time aside for spending with each other, whether we play a game, go for a walk, or just talk, it subdues my stress!
-Don't pressure yourself to do all of this all at once! Same with the wedding planning, smaller doses of wedding may be what you need for a few days until the stress is under control!
