9 Stress Management Tips for Your Next Move

The barrage of decisions you have to make in the weeks or months before moving, compounded by daily stressors and the physically exhausting work of packaging and organizing all of your stuff, can be overwhelming. 

While it may not be possible to avoid all the hiccups of a move, there are several effective ways to manage stress and keep anxiety to a minimum, making moving day a better experience.

Listen to Music

Sorting through items and packing boxes can be at once monotonous and stressful. Studies have shown that listening to music can decrease anxiety, slow heart rate, and reduce blood pressure. 

Whether you prefer easy listening or something more upbeat, putting on some tunes while packing or planning is a simple way to reduce stress. 

Take Time Off Work

One of the main sources of moving stress is the feeling that you’re running out of time. This sense of dread only gets worse if you also have work obligations in the days before the move. 

Taking some time off work, if possible, will allow you to dedicate yourself fully to the moving process. Inform your employer with ample notice and use your time off to manage your move at a more relaxed pace.  

Avoid Alcohol

The stress from a move may entice you to have a few drinks to quell the tension. While you may briefly feel relaxed after consuming alcohol, you may also be at a greater risk of falls and accidents, conflict, risky behaviors, and impaired decision-making. 

Heavy drinking increases your risk for anxiety, irritability, and depression, and can interfere with restful sleep. 

Relying on any substance as a stress management tool can lead to serious health issues, including substance use disorder. If you or someone you love is facing addiction, a rehab center near Boston can put you on the path to recovery. 

Get Plenty of Rest

Getting plenty of sleep can help you face life’s woes, particularly regarding anything related to stress or discomfort. Sleep truly is one of the most powerful weapons in your stress management arsenal. 

Restful sleep in the days and weeks leading up to moving day will help ease your mind and prepare your body for the arduous days ahead, particularly if you’re doing a lot of the manual labor yourself. 

Start Small

Tackling your move with one room, one closet, and one drawer at a time can break down the process into a much more manageable task. You’ll be surprised how quickly the progress adds up. 

The incremental, “start small” approach allows you to maintain a semblance of control and accomplishment even when things get chaotic, which helps to reduce overall stress.  

Ask Friends and Family for Help

There’s nothing wrong with asking for some help from friends, family, or even the neighbor walking down the street when you’re in the trenches of a stressful move. 

An extra set of hands can make a big difference when it comes to packing, lifting, and emotional support. Sharing the work will foster a sense of teamwork and turn an otherwise stressful experience into a bonding moment. 

Hire Movers

Hiring professional movers can be expensive, but it helps alleviate much of the physical and mental burden of moving. 

Paid movers are skilled at handling the logistics of the transition to a new home, and will leave you with more bandwidth to handle other issues.  

Set Realistic Expectations

Setting realistic expectations for how much you’re capable of accomplishing during your move will help minimize anxiety. One way to set expectations is to create a schedule of all the tasks you need to complete every day until moving day. 

When the seemingly insurmountable work is broken down into a few daily tasks, you’ll feel more in control of the process and less stressed. 

Eat Healthy

Stress can affect nutrition, and nutrition can affect stress. While it’s easy to turn to a box of doughnuts or a bag of chips, what you eat can make you feel worse, both physically and mentally. 

Eating a healthy diet of leafy greens, dark chocolate, and protein sources such as chicken and turkey can keep your body in good shape throughout the move. 

In conclusion, there’s not a one-size-fits-all approach to managing stress, particularly during a move. Using some of the strategies listed above, however, may help you constructively manage stress and make the transition to your new home a joyful one. 

Written: Hannah Dodd Ark, Behavioral Health