Moving means different to different people, some take it as an exciting event and some get stressed even at the thought of moving. People move many times in their life and some move once or twice only. The experts at iMoving.com state that initially, when someone moves, it is all exciting and people enjoy buying packing supplies and planning to go through all their stuff and packing up things to live in a new place. But once the hard work starts, all the excitement vanishes and it starts getting overwhelming. No matter how much you thought that moving will be a welcoming time, it becomes a negative event due to all the hard work it needs for this transitional event of your life. Along with other stresses like job loss, losing a family member to death, divorce, and major illness, moving also comes in the top stresses of life.
But this doesn’t mean that you cannot have a stress-free move, all you have to do is follow some rules to make this transition good and successful.
Moving Stress-Factors Responsible
Moving stress is not caused due to any one reason, there are many. As we know that moving brings in many changes in our lives, our location is changed and we have to leave our family and friends behind. Not having your own people around creates a sense of insecurity in the mover’s mind that leads to stress. These changes are unavoidable and though they may happen for the good, it is obvious to feel anxious at this big change of life and lifestyle.
Money is another big factor that adds up to the moving stress levels. Even if you are a minimalist, it takes a hefty amount to move your things from one place to another and still, your precious things are at risk of getting damaged during the transit. And not to forget the moving time as it takes a lot of time to pack and move. It is not easy to organize things at your new place with all the emotional turmoil that you are going through.
Moving Stress-Symptoms
A little stress is obvious during a move and is needed too to accomplish the task successfully but watch out for symptoms of being overstressed so that you can fight it back. It is important to recognize the symptoms at the right time that may include feeling overwhelmed about the upcoming work and things, feeling worthless or depressed all the time, getting angry too quickly, and/or not liking meeting people. Along with these emotional symptoms, there are some physical symptoms too and that may include chest pain, insomnia, fatigue, and body aches.
There are certain cognitive and behavioral symptoms too that can help you recognize anxiety better. It is a matter of concern if you have become forgetful, disorganized, and are worried all the time. You may also lose interest in your responsibilities and can notice a change in your eating habits or may get too involved in drinking alcohol.
Moving Stress-Management
As mentioned earlier, a little stress is healthy to accomplish our goals but too much of it can ruin our mental and physical health. Let us discuss some ways to manage your stress levels during a move.
Keep Your Attitude Right
It is one of the most important tips to follow, make sure you adopt the right attitude towards your moving event. Try to approach the Can-Do attitude and focus on the pros of moving. Think about meeting new people and having a new life as an opportunity to grow and learn more in life. Feel privileged that you have got a chance to explore a new area and new people. Set some goals for positive life changes at your new place. Make sure that you tell yourself that moving time is a temporary phase and once your things are moved, you will have a stable lifestyle once again.
Do Research Almost About Everything
Fear of change is one of the major reasons for stress and that too if you are moving a significant distance away from your current location. It is wise to research the area thoroughly before you move as most people feel safe and comfortable when they are prepared for the change. Check out the area well like visit local malls, restaurants, markets, recreational areas, and schools if you have school-going kids at home. Research and be prepared for everything in advance. Select the right school for your kids, meet your new neighbours before moving, and register with some activity schools, etc. This will give you a feel of belongingness to the place and you will look forward to staying there.
Hire Professional Movers
Don’t get into a DIY move thing, you need to keep yourself fit both physically and mentally and a DIY move may exhaust you completely and that can further trigger your stress levels. Having someone to do the packing and all is a blessing and no one can do it better than the professionals as they are trained to do the task.
Plan Ahead
Plan everything in advance and prepare your family for the big move much before the moving day. Leaving things to the last minute may bring a lot of stress with them so plan everything ahead and execute it accordingly. Right from hiring movers to pack an essentials bag for the moving day to arrange utilities at your new place, everything should be planned properly.
Arrange a Get-Together
Arrange a family and friends get together before you move and spend some quality time together with them and make memories. You can do it both ways, can call individual friends at different times and have a good time or you can arrange a get together so that you all can have to the time of your life. These memories, you will cherish after going away and will also encourage you to catch them up more on social media or telephone once you go far from them.
Self-care
With everything else, you need to take care of your emotional and physical health during the process. Eat healthily and don’t ignore your feelings. Accept your sadness and know that it is okay to feel bad but don’t let it take upon your health. Move on and stay happy!