[Ender's Mom]

So I'm curious how people deal when they are stressed or have had a long day at work.

Me, personally... I like getting together with a friend or significant other... either to talk about my day and let it out... or be distracted by having the other person around to keep my mind off what a bad day it was... or sometimes a little bit of both... last thing I "want" is to be alone... though I can certainly deal with being alone on those days... like today I just went and got a drink (raspberry margarita) and sat outside a local restaurant, enjoyed the sun, and read a book... but I know the rest of the night is gonna go so slow and I'm not looking forward to it at all.

It's hard for me to understand the type that have a long day and just want to go home and be alone... I don't know if it's a "don't want to bring another person down so I'll wallow in my own misery" thing or a "I can't deal with anyone else at the moment thing"... or what. It's frustrating cause as a friend, I like to have the option of trying to cheer up/distract a person I know is having a rough day.

Anyways... just curious how other people deal with stress and long days.

 

[Labradorable]

We go biking (peddles not motors) a lot to burn off frustrations, etc.. Sex helps a lot too.

 

[BigBrownDog]

It's hard for me to understand the type that have a long day and just want to go home and be alone... I don't know if it's a "don't want to bring another person down so I'll wallow in my own misery" thing or a "I can't deal with anyone else at the moment thing"... or what. It's frustrating cause as a friend, I like to have the option of trying to cheer up/distract a person I know is having a rough day.

Anyways... just curious how other people deal with stress and long days.

*Waves hand*

That would be me. I have a lot of contact with a lot of people (customers/employees/clients) who want/expect/demand something of me all day every day. Sometimes it is really exhausting and when the day contains some major fire I have had to deal with or some sort of personnel drama the last thing I need is to review it all with a friend or my husband. Often that can involve so much explaining on my part that I will get exhausted all over again. Plus - my husband always wants to give me advice or try to "fix" it. Don't need that. (Venus and Mars and all that)

I often sort it all out driving. I do like to delve into a book so that I can shut out my world for a while. I think I would get a lot of use out of an immersion tank.

I also write long e-mails to the people who have made my problem for me - and then not send them. Cathartic!

 

[Golfgirlrobin]

I dwell on stuff until I talk it out with the husband. It all just seems better when it isn't solely in my head anymore. When he is stressed out he just wants to sit on the couch, watch tv, and sit stone-faced all evening. I react in one of two ways, either I let him sit because I can tell that he is just overloaded and just needs some quiet, or if it's a particular thing I think is bothering him, I force it out of him. It probably took five years of being together to be able to tell which reaction it should be.

With him, it isn't that he doesn't want to bother me with stuff, he just needs to decompress and it's hard for other people to do that for you.

 

[blacklabparent]

Running.

I run until I can't anymore. Then I talk with Steve and great friends. =)

 

[my2labs]

going out to the barn and spending time with my horse or my dogs. when i'm stressed, being around people does not help. i need someone to lend an ear without making any comments. it helps me sort through the stressors and find ways to deal with them.

 

[theoconbrio]

Drinking is my favorite way to deal with stress, but I try not to use it for that purpose. I sit and/or lift weights and/or run and/or talk with SU. Sometimes it's really helpful for me to sit down and write everything that is stressing me and try to get on top of any chaos by organizing.

 

[Wendy B.]

I work with special ed kids 8 & 9 year olds. After a hard day I'm the kind that likes to be alone and decompress. I find chocolate and long walks with the dog helps

 

[Jefferson'n'Ted]

I go home, pour a big glass of wine (or whine!) and hop on JL.

I'd love to talk it out with someone but the people closest to me--my kids--are not the ones that I will pour out my troubles to. Don't want to be that whiney Mom that is always a downer.

 

[gundog]

Play softball........tend to the garden......play with Char (A 3 year old has a way to make your problems just slip away)

I never dump on the wife about work stress. I might mention it was a long day but that's about it.

About the best way to make me smile is to take the dogs for some water work.

 

[sarah]

I blurt it all out to David and then walk Milly.

If I am very stressed I clean... and clean... and clean... and clean! David knows something is wrong when I won't stop cleaning.

If that doesn't help I go to the gym. I find some form of exercise always helps curb stress.

 

[Di]

I go home, pour a big glass of wine (or whine!) and hop on JL.

I'd love to talk it out with someone but the people closest to me--my kids--are not the ones that I will pour out my troubles to. Don't want to be that whiney Mom that is always a downer.

Same here, I have to talk and deal with people all day, usually under pretty stressful situations! The last thing I want to do is talk to actual people! The last thing I want to do is have to chit chat or have any conversation at all- maybe with DH, but usually I do better if that even waits until the next day! A nice long drive with my pup and good music works also!

 

[kelli]

the only stress i have right now is 70 lbs of caged whining.

She's cute, so i don't mind.

 

[blacklabparent]

the only stress i have right now is 70 lbs of caged whining.

She's cute, so i don't mind.

=)

 

[Jinx]

not really having much of an outlet for it i usually just hold it in until i finally explode(it does take awhile, though.) it's a wonder i don't have an ulcer.

 

[Garth]

The last thing I want to do is talk to actual people!

So we're not "actual people" aye? Therefore you must be talking to yourself when you get on here. We wont go into the details of when you answer yourself back. I think that's pretty obvious.

The easiest way I deal with it is get out with the dogs to our favourite park. If that doesn't work, I resort to pulling out the heavy metal & winding the stereo up LOUD. Nothing like a good dose of Led Zep, Deep Purple, Def Leppard or any of the other heavy metal bands to blow your mind apart & cleanse all the crap out of it.

 

[amazongold]

I learned to give it to God. If there was something I could do to make it better, I did it. If there wasn't, I gave it to God and asked Him to handle it for me.

When I'd had a really bad day at work, I took the long way home on the back roads through the country, and just let it all out. I either called my sister and vented to her, or I vented to God. By the time I got home, I felt better and was able to relax.

 

[YellowJakesMom]

Haha Sarah I clean too! I become (more) OCD about clutter, the more stressed I am. Then I usually talk to John about it, and feel better.

If I had a bad day however (disappointments, etc.) I like to be alone. I tend to stew about it for a while, then eventually work my way to being "over it." John's learned not to try the "it's okay, no big deal," thing with me anymore when I'm in that sort of mood. I'll get out of it eventually, just leave me and my anger alone for a bit.

 

[Aim]

Stress wipes me out. I sleep. Which is not good, because it doesn't really help.

I try to make myself walk or do something physical to counteract the need to sleep. lol. That usually makes me feel better.

 

[dweck]

I talk it out while walking Wesley. He's excellent at keeping secrets.