Order is an ally
Moving is a stressful process, this idea is shared by everyone who has ever faced a move. Changing place, home, context, country and sometimes even continent is a revolution in the literal sense of the word.
Although a change of this magnitude inevitably entails a significant amount of stress, there are certain things that can be done to mitigate it as much as possible and make the experience of moving something even more enjoyable.
In today’s article we are going to talk about some tips to reduce the stress of moving, both in practical terms and in terms of the right mindset and the most appropriate perspective from which to look at things.
Why is moving so stressful?
Moving is a complex phenomenon as it articulates many things to do in a short time with an emotional and nostalgic weight that tends to put us in a reflective and passive mood. The stress comes from the clash between the many practical necessities of moving (paperwork, changing the address on our subscriptions, packing, finding a new place, etc) and the emotional baggage that the whole process entails.
As we said before, there are ways to mitigate all that stress. Here are our tips for doing so:
Accept that a certain amount of stress is inevitable.
You have to know how to pick and choose which battles are worth fighting in life. Sometimes the bravest action is to have the humility to recognize the inevitability of some things. Moving is a big deal in the lives of all of us and big changes take their toll on our neurochemistry, it’s how we humans are made.
Stress is our body’s natural reaction to the feeling of instability caused by change, just as pain is our body’s natural reaction to what our body considers a situation that needs to be addressed.
If we accept that a certain amount of stress is inevitable, even natural, we will be more prepared to deal with it when it manifests itself. The important thing is to keep it at bay so that it does not affect our ability to perform all the many tasks we have to accomplish. A little acceptance in the face of the inevitable is a necessary mindset for difficult times.
Order is an ally
There’s an old saying that goes “it’s better to have a short pencil than a long memory” and boy is it true. Why overload our already stressed heads when we can externalize our to-do’s on a piece of paper or our cell phones? It will not only relieve us but also prevent possible mistakes. The human mind, like any hardware, becomes more error-prone the more it is stressed.
There are many things to do when moving and a list can help us both accomplish all of them accordingly (which is no small feat) and also help mitigate the stress of having to be mentally on top of everything.
The double face of emotions
We said before that moving is a complex, stressful and emotionally charged process. What we did not say, until now, is that all that emotionality does not have to be entirely negative.
It is also up to us to channel that overflow of emotionality towards enthusiasm. It’s healthy to take a break from the busyness of the tasks and remember why we’re doing all this. Researching our new neighborhood, getting excited in advance, not just obsessing about what we are leaving behind, but also getting excited about all that the future holds.
Maintain a positive mindset
Hand in hand with the previous point, it is important to highlight that a positive mindset helps to deal with stress, even, according to science, helps to improve our health.
When stress does manifest itself, and it will manifest itself, it is up to us to deal with it in a positive way, understanding it as an inevitable part of a big change and dosing it with positivity and enthusiasm. Stress can be turned into proactivity and energy with a little positive attitude.
It is also important to turn to family and friends, not to carry all the weight alone. Our environment will help us to keep our feet on the ground and help us to sustain the positive attitude.
Get rid of what you don’t need
Moving is taking yourself and your stuff to a new place. The less stuff, the less moving. The less moving, the less stress. Moving is a great time to be honest with ourselves and, in a sort of externalized Freudian exercise, to bring out what is hidden in our homes in order to face it.
It is very relieving to be able to get rid of our things we don’t need, not to mention that there are many people in need who will be able to enjoy them. The benefit is twofold, since we can perform a therapeutic ritual at the same time that we lighten our moving process.
Conclusion
Stress is one more ingredient in a time of change, and it is important to be able to integrate it in the healthiest way possible instead of trying to fight it uselessly at all costs (paradoxically producing more stress in the process).