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Home » Uncategorized » Challenge Yourself to 1/3 Less Stress
April 17, 2007

Challenge Yourself to 1/3 Less Stress

From the Kitchen of Katie Kick

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Lately I’ve been thinking that I’d like to challenge myself to having a little less stress in my life.  I’m not out of control stressed out, but I’m not as relaxed, patient, or easy going as I’d like to be.

I see myself getting edgy with the kids – snapping at them over stupid things like taking too long to get in the car – and am constantly tired when my alarm goes off. Is getting in the car 1 minute too slow really going to mess our drive to school up?  Of course not. Most days I do not wake up feeling completely refreshed and ready to get out of bed. Instead, I hit the alarm two or three times, which doesn’t help much anyway.

less stress challenge

Because Kraft Foods is dedicated to offering better-for-you choices that you can feel good about eating, Kraft Singles emailed me wanting to know if I’d be willing to take on the challenge of making a better-for-you decision to improve my life.

I knew this was the challenge I needed to get my stress under control, so I’ve teamed up with Kraft 2% Milk Singles, which has a 1/3 less fat than the leading process cheese slice,* to bring the following “1/3 Less” Challenge to my life and to yours!

We’ve all heard the phrase “Less is More” applied to different situations in life. When it comes to stress that definitely holds true. Over the next 6-8 weeks I am going to challenge myself to have “1/3 Less” Stress in my life.

We’ve all heard the phrase “Less is More” applied to different situations in life. When it comes to stress that definitely holds true. Over the next 6-8 weeks I am going to challenge myself to have “1/3 Less” Stress in my life.

relax

image source

I narrowed down 5 areas that contribute to my stress (see below). I plan on tackling these 5 areas to improve my life and get rid of some of my stress.

If you’re game, I’d love to have YOU join me in this challenge to reduce stress. If you have other areas that contribute to your stress outside of what I’ve listed – feel free to work on those. Let’s all make some better-for-you choices so we can enjoy life more, be more patient with our kids, and just generally be happier people.

Factors that Contribute to my Stress

None of this is new information. I know it, you know it…yet I still slip up on some factors from time to time. I’ll even admit that there are a few factors that I struggle with.

Not Eating Well

I’m pretty good at eating breakfast because we often have things like waffles and muffins stashed in the freezer. Our dinners are well-balanced, delicious and healthy, but I am horrible at eating lunch.

If I had someone hand me a plate of delicious, healthy food for lunch each day would I have a problem eating it? No – for me it is the preparation part. It is hard to cook for 1 person and no fun to eat alone.

whole wheat naan

Recipe: Whole Wheat Indian Naan

Often times I’m so busy running errands, photographing food, or doing things around the house that I loose track of time. By the time I realize what time it is, it’s too late for lunch. When I’m hungry I get cranky which leads to more stress.

Other days I snack as I’m working (usually not on anything too unhealthy) rather than sitting down with a balanced meal. It ends up being just enough to fill me up, but not really enough to sustain my energy.

I would like to make better-for-you choices that are lower in fat, calories, sodium and have positive nutritional benefits, such as high in calcium, fiber, protein and made with whole grains. I would also like to increase my vegetable intake.

Poor Sleep Habits

I really only have poor sleep habits when Eric is out of town. I have a hard time sleeping, so I stay up late so that I’m really tired and fall asleep easily. When he’s finally home from traveling I am completely exhausted.

sleep habits and stress

image source

But I can definitely improve my sleep schedule by getting up when my alarm goes off every day, at the same time, instead of hitting snooze a few times – or completely turning off the alarm.

I feel so much better when I get up and get myself ready before the kids are awake, and it shows – I’m more patient with them.

Lack of Exercise

I’ve never been overweight (knock on wood) which makes me less motivated to exercise. When I am in a good habit of being physically active I feel great – more energy, less stress, overall happier mood.

image source

But, I tend to have phases where I’m in and out of the habit. I’d like to stop that once and for all. I’m going to make the 2 days the Madeline is at preschool my days to exercise.

I have the videos Yoga Meltdown, Power Sculpt, and No More Trouble Zones, so it will be easy for my to spend 30-60 minutes on those days exercising. Then on the weekends, now that it is warming up, we can do things like family walks.

Not Enough “Down” Time

I’ve already been working on this one. Moms need “down time.” We go, go, go all day, especially with little ones around. I love to have some time for me that is spent doing nothing.

reading to reduce stress

image source

I’ve gotten back in the habit of reading and checking out books from the library. It’s amazing what 30-60 minutes with a great book before bed can do for me. It’s nice to shut off my brain and get lost in someone else’s story.

Do you need some book suggestions? Check out my favorite Fiction Books and Food Memoirs. If reading isn’t your thing, think of something else you enjoy doing that is fun and relaxing. (And no, shopping doesn’t count!)

Disorganization

My house reached a mess of epic proportions the last week. I’m not talking anything worthy of Hoarders or unsanitary, just lots of the little day-to-day tasks that have piled up.

The floor is lately littered with toys everywhere you step. The laundry room is almost so full of laundry that it reminds me of those cartoons where the character is forcing their whole body into the door in order to get it to fully close against the piles and piles of junk behind it.

We’ve had a lot going on in the last month: Eric out of town, a painting project (that took way longer than it should have), work stuff, kid stuff, Eric sick (and then sick again, and again). Household tasks have been ignored.

organized home

image source 1, image source 2

I can’t concentrate on anything when the house is a big mess. And when it’s this messy it’s hard for me to even begin to tackle the mess because there’s just so much. I keep thinking about the mess and how I hate the mess, but I’m too overwhelmed to do anything about it.

This week I am tackling the house, one room at a time to avoid being overwhelmed. I’m going to try really hard to do a little something every day after the big purge so that I can stay on top of things. With a tidier home, I’ll definitely feel less stress.

The 1/3 Less Program

I’ll be checking in with all of you a couple times in the coming 6-8 weeks as I update my progress on the less stress challenge and I will want to hear how you’re doing too, but in the meantime – follow along Kraft’s #BetterForYou hashtag on Twitter for updates. You can also visit My Daily for better-for-you tips and tools.

In the final post of the challenge I’ll be giving away a $100 gift card to Spa Finder so you can enjoy some much deserved “down time.”

What can you do to decrease the amount of stress in your life?


*Disclaimer: This post is part of the Kraft 2% Singles ambassador program. Kraft 2% Milk Singles have 2.5g of fat per slice compared to 4.5g in the leading American cheese slice, that is 1/3 less fat than other slices. I was compensated as part of the participation in the program, but all opinions expressed are my own.

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Meet Katie Kick

My lifelong interest in cooking has shown me that part of the goodness in life is enjoying delicious food with friends and family. I love trying new foods, discovering new places & things that help my family live the good life.

More About Katie
Updated: January 21, 2025

Reader Interactions

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  1. Sylvie @ Gourmande in the Kitchen says

    April 18, 2011 at 7:50 PM

    What a great post Katie, I think we can all really relate to the same stressful experiences in our own lives. I think it’s a struggle for everyone. Even if for the most part we know what we should be doing, it’s easy to forget in the moment when stress is rising. This challenge will be a good reminder to keep stress in check.

    Reply
  2. Jen at The Three Little Piglets says

    April 18, 2011 at 7:16 PM

    I’ve been slowly working my way through The Happiness Project – tackling one area of my life each month where I need to improve. Right now it’s all about letting go of expectations. I always stress myself out because of what I expect of myself and what I think others expect of me. I need to let go of being a perfectionist, since rationally I know there’s no such thing as perfect anyway, and live in the here and now.

    Great challenge!

    Reply
  3. Steph says

    April 18, 2011 at 6:28 PM

    turn off my cell phone more often!!

    Reply
  4. Britney says

    April 18, 2011 at 6:01 PM

    I am definately in. Everybody can benefit from less stress in their lives. It makes them a better wife, sister, mother, daughter, friend and everything else that we are responsible for in our daily lives. Do I need to do
    anything to sign up, or does this do it>

    Reply
  5. Happy When Not Hungry says

    April 18, 2011 at 4:41 PM

    I love this post! I definitely feel like I’ve been extremely stressed out a lot. I try to exercise 5 times a week and that definitely helps alleviate my stress. I also started reading again! I had put that off for a while and it’s so nice to sit and have some quiet time to myself. Will definitely be trying this challenge!

    Reply
  6. Tracy says

    April 18, 2011 at 3:45 PM

    Great post! I am totally with you; especially about the not eating lunch part – I rarely do during the week and it definitely doesn’t make me feel good. I am definitely on board for reducing stress in my life!!

    Reply
  7. Brenda @ a farmgirl's dabbles says

    April 18, 2011 at 3:25 PM

    I can relate to so much of this. I started taking deliberate steps to cut back on stress just a few weeks ago, because things were just a little too crazy. It was adversely affecting the whole family. And I do have to say I am much happier, less impatient with the kiddos, and have had more real time with my family. I do not want to look back on my life and only see a blur of busy-ness! You have acknowledged many sources of common stress and given some practical solutions. I wish you all the best!

    Reply
  8. Kristine says

    April 18, 2011 at 3:24 PM

    I can really relate to this post! Something that I always try to remind myself of is to live in the moment and not stress about what is to come or what I “should” be doing. My two year old daughter will only be this age once, so sometimes the laundry or floors can wait. That said, I do agree that having an organized home really makes me feel happier and less stressed. I have a few areas of my house that I’d like to organize and declutter, and I plan to do one small task a day.

    Thanks for the inspiring post!

    Reply
  9. Jamie | My Baking Addiction says

    April 18, 2011 at 3:02 PM

    Wow, I see myself in several aspects of this post. Sometimes it’s just so hard to take some time to focus on myself! Informative post with some great ideas for reducing stress!

    Reply
  10. Christi says

    April 18, 2011 at 10:20 AM

    I reduce my stress by saying NO to things I really don’t want to do. I let go of the guilt and the worry of what other people think or expect. Then I have more time to devote to the things and people I love.

    Reply
  11. Emily S. says

    April 18, 2011 at 9:56 AM

    I seem to be increasingly stressed by each day, so count me in for taking on this challenge! Good luck decreasing your stress!

    Usually what stresses me out the most starts with not getting enough sleep at night. When I’m groggy during the day, and the little things start to get to me, I can feel my blood pressure rise. If I wasn’t such a night owl I think I’d be less stressed.

    I also take on the stress of others. I think I want to help people in my life out so much, that I internalize the stress of others instead.

    Reply
  12. MsBrownBird says

    April 18, 2011 at 9:33 AM

    I’m with you on not sleeping well… I’m relatively good at packing lunch, since I’m in an office and have to pack lunch in the morning or have nothing to eat all day.

    Really, if I wanted to be less stressed, I’d stop cooking dinner groups of friends multiple times a week. As much as I love the cooking and the time with my friends, it stresses me out to be constantly coming up with new and exciting menus for them (especially since some are as picky as middle-schoolers), and the cost has been adding up….

    Reply
  13. Zee S says

    April 18, 2011 at 8:14 AM

    I’m in! I am HORRIBLE at eating lunch. I hate making lunch for myself. I make it for my kids and my husband and I never want to make it for myself. I think one way I am less stressed is if I plan our dinner meals for the week and shop for them. But I’m not consistent with it.

    Reply
  14. Tiffany says

    April 18, 2011 at 7:03 AM

    I would love to be a part of this challenge with you, how do I sign up?!!! I am in the same boat but one of the things that helps me eat a good lunch is making enough food from the night before to package up as leftovers. That way there is no thought process behind it. I just posted a list of books I like on my blog today too and I have bought a Groupon from a local trainer for 12 boot camp sessions to keep my butt in gear. Its all of the little things that adds up to the big picture. As a woman, its just hard to remember that as you put the “W” on your chest and become Wonderwoman!

    Reply
  15. loura says

    April 18, 2011 at 6:18 AM

    Count me in. Boy, do I need this!

    Reply
  16. Heather (Gluten-Free Cat) says

    April 18, 2011 at 6:17 AM

    I find that I can lessen the stress in my life by reminding myself not to take on the stress of others. I can be a listening ear, empathize, offer encouragement, but then I need to let it go.

    Love your challenge. Reading about your experience will help with my stress management!

    Reply
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Katie Kick from Good Life Eats in her kitchen

Meet Katie Kick

Hi, I’m Katie! Thank you so much for visiting my corner of the internet. I am passionate about cooking delicious and beautiful, yet accessible, food for my family and friends. I love tasting new foods, discovering new places and things that help my family live that good life.

More about Katie
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