Results from a quiz at Chatterbean.com find that moms' number one way of dealing with stress is through reading. Other choices in the "Are You a Slacker Mom?" quiz for parental personal time included chocolate therapy and smoking, but none could compete with the quality time enjoyed through a good book. With two leading professional associations recognizing the necessity of personal time, these book worm moms have the right idea about stress management.
According to the fun and quirky Are You a Slacker Mom? quiz, 19% of moms chose reading as their favorite stress management activity. Slightly more moms (11%) prefer cooking a good meal instead of simply eating it as a way to relax. Retail therapy and girls' nights out tied at 13% a piece, and the sweetest choice -- chocolate therapy -- received a solid 15%.
Motherhood is often a stressful juggling act, and it's not a surprise that work, raising kids, and making time for family activities cause a lot of moms to suffer parental burnout. Subsequently, the American Psychological Association (APA) recognizes that learning to deal with stress effectively is a worthwhile effort. The APA recommends ten minutes of daily personal time at least two or three times a week.
The American Medical Women's Association (AMWA) states that leisure time -- any undemanding and pleasurable activity -- is a necessity and must be purposefully planned. Women are more vulnerable to stress-induced illnesses and making time to sit quietly, as when reading, can relieve the physical symptoms of stress.
To determine which relaxation technique was their favorite, moms taking the "Are You a Slacker Mom?" quiz on Chatterbean.com answered, "What's your favorite way to de-stress?" They were given a list of eight popular activities, some more social and healthy than others. Fewer moms chose going to the gym (10%), drinking fine wine with a good meal (10%), or smoking (10%)as their preferred method of relaxation.
Chatterbean.com attracts thousands of users every day to response-driven Web sites that cover trends in parenting style , personal growth, fashion, food, music, home ownership, education, and more. Chatterbean and its associated Web sites can be found at www.chatterbean.com.
