3 Simple Ways To Reduce Stress and Overcome Exhaustion As A Christian Woman

If you’re feeling stressed and exhausted, you’re not alone. Many people struggle to reduce stress and overwhelm in their daily lives.

The good news is that it’s possible to make small changes that can help you feel more energized and less burdened. By making a few adjustments, you can reduce exhaustion and create space for rest and peace.

Keep reading to find simple, actionable tips that will help you reduce overwhelm and take control of your day.

Life can feel like it’s moving a mile a minute, and it’s easy to get caught up in it all. But the truth is, you’re in control of how you spend your time and energy.

Making just a few shifts in your routine can help you create more balance, reduce stress, and take care of your mental and physical health. Whether it’s simplifying your to-do list or giving yourself permission to take a break, these changes don’t have to be big to make a huge impact.

What Are Practical Ways to Reduce Stress Without Feeling Guilty?

1. Set Yourself Up for Success by Simplifying Your To-Do List and Meals

I’m sure you’ve heard people talk about setting children up for success, why not apply that same principle to yourself. Why not set yourself up for success too?

While there are a ton of areas in your life where you can set yourself up for success, I want to share two that have helped me.

Reduce Overwhelm with Your To-Do List.

If the thought of even talking about your to-do list is stressful then it’s definitely an area that needs to change!

When you overload your plate and put too many things on your to-do list you’re essentially draining yourself dry and setting yourself up for failure.

I used to do this very thing. I’d put a gajillion things on my list (hoping to get them all done and knowing I wouldn’t). At the end of the day when I didn’t get them all done I’d feel like a failure. It was exhausting!

Here are a few questions you can ask yourself as you create your to-do list. (I find it best to create my to-do list before the week starts so that I can see what needs to be done for the week.)

• Can someone else help me with this?

• Are there any tasks I can eliminate?

• Can this be moved to another day?

• Can I say “no” to this altogether (weekly/monthly commitments that don’t give you joy)?

Give yourself realistic expectations, eliminate the things that aren’t necessary, and ask for help. When you start doing these you’ll set yourself up for success and actually be able to accomplish everything on your list. (Take it from me, it feels really good to get everything accomplished that you set out to do!)

Stress Less Over Meals.

It’s no secret that easy meals are my go-to. I’m not the kind of girl who loves to spend hours in the kitchen crafting the perfect dinner for my family. (And it’s a good thing because I don’t even have that kind of extra time.)

If you’re a mom of a newborn or little ones, please don’t try to make huge, elaborate meals. All you need to make are simple, easy meals that get your family fed.

If fun, fancy meals are your thing, add them back in when your child gets older. But right now just make something easy for your family.

Here’s what I recommend. Make a list of 10-20 meals that your family loves and rotate between these meals. (Need some ideas? Grab this free dinner ideas printable with tons of ideas.)

When I started doing this I definitely felt like I was setting myself up for success because when it came time to menu planning I always got stuck. Now I just choose a few of our favorite recipes from my pre-made list and my meal plan is done!

2. Create Margin in Your Life to Breathe and Avoid Burnout

Friend, having margin in your life is huge!

Not exactly sure what margin is? Take a look at your day, do you have any white space on your calendar?

Do you have any extra time to just sit and “be” for 5-10 minutes?

If your project takes longer than expected or something unplanned comes up that has to be dealt with right then are you going to go into panic mode?

When you have margin in your life you’re giving yourself breathing room. If you don’t have margin in your life you’re heading down the road toward burnout.

Much like you did with cleaning up your to-do list, figure out how you can add white space into your life. You’ll be much healthier when you do.

3. Learn to Give Yourself Grace and Let Go of Perfectionism

I’ll go ahead and admit that this one is the hardest for me because giving myself grace does not come easy to me.

But here’s what I’m learning about giving myself grace…

As hard as I try not to, I’m going to let people down.

I’m going to fail, but I must pick myself back up and either try again or move on.

I can’t be everything to everyone. (Learning this was a game changer for me.)

There was one point and time in my life when I thought I could be everything to everyone but that’s just not the case anymore. I am not the Savior of the world. He is the only one who can be everything to everyone so I don’t even have to try. Now that is a freeing thought my friend.

Whether it’s in your schedule, with your friends and family or throughout your day, learn to give yourself grace.

Which area stands out to you the most and resonates with your heart? Do you need to start setting yourself up for success, giving yourself grace, or giving yourself margin? As you start working on yourself the stress, overwhelm and exhaustion will slowly start to fall away.

FAQs

Embrace Peace and Balance One Step at a Time

Reducing stress and exhaustion isn’t about being perfect. It’s about making small, meaningful choices that support your well-being.

Remember, you deserve rest, grace, and time to recharge. So, set yourself up for success, give yourself margin, and allow room for grace. By doing this, you’ll be well on your way to a more balanced and peaceful life. Take it one step at a time, and you’ll start seeing the difference.

Say Goodbye to Survival Mode Has Been a Game Changer for Me!

If you’re feeling overwhelmed, this book has really resonated with me. Crystal Paine, a wife, mom of six, and founder of MoneySavingMom.com, shares how she went from simply surviving to living with more purpose and intention.

In Say Goodbye to Survival Mode, she offers practical advice on:

• Setting boundaries and priorities to feel more energized
• Managing your time, money, and home to reduce stress
• Setting realistic goals and embracing discipline
• Rediscovering passions and the confidence to pursue them

It’s a refreshing read that’s packed with simple, real-life solutions to help you stop just getting by and start truly enjoying life.

Learn More Here

If this was helpful for reducing overwhelm, exhaustion and stress, you should also check out:

• Feeling empty inside? Reclaim your joy with these 8 self-care tips.
• Don’t let these 5 habits keep you from learning how to live your best life. Yes, it is possible!
• Want to say no without being rude or feeling guilty? Learn how to say no to the good so you can say yes to the best.