Unfortunately, moving stress has become a part of everyday life, if we think about millions of people relocating every day. This process can cause many problematic situations which an average person doesn’t know how to handle. The part of the problem is closely related to the fact that some of them don’t realize how to recognize their symptoms or they aren’t certain about what causes them, so they try to deny and neglect them, which can lead to even more severe issues.
It is important to understand that the stress of moving is a real problem that should be well understood and sometimes even treated. In the following article, we’ll try to explain major issues and frequent questions related to them and the best ways to overcome them. One of the best things you can do for yourself is hire professional movers in Orange County and prevent any potential inconvenience.
Why Is Moving Stressful? Major Causes of Moving Stress
Is moving stressful? Of course, it is, there is no need to deny it. The sooner you accept it, the better – you’re one step closer to overcoming it. Why is moving so stressful, you may wonder. This could depend on many factors. At the core of all potential issues lies a fear of the unknown. Since the beginning of human existence, almost everyone has tried to find a place to settle and find a home where they can live freely and carelessly. It’s in our nature to look for stability and homeostasis. Whenever some crisis happens, our adrenaline levels rise, and our body is ready to respond to the challenge.
If this period lasts too long, we have a feeling that we aren’t in control of things and that we are losing our stability as well as our sanity. This well-known feeling is called stress. And it is a part of everyone’s everyday life. Some persons are more resilient than others, so they respond to these challenging situations better. Others who are more emotional and sensitive might experience trouble dealing with it. Apart from our personal differences, some other rather external factors can also affect us in different ways. For example, if every other part of our life is settled and we have a stable job, good partner, quality social life, and good health, life crises can still be challenging, but we can overcome them easier.
Frequent Stressors
Fear of relocation is often connected to thoughts of uncertainty, fear of new beginnings, unknown environments and situations, potential emotional losses and challenges, loneliness, and other similar feelings. Sometimes, you can also experience justified fear of moving scams, or you can have trouble finding a good home around the best places to live in Orange County.
What Are the 3 Most Stressful Things in Life?
If you think about the most stressful things in life, you can easily spot a pattern – they are all connected to losing something we deeply care about and find extremely valuable. A recent survey on 1,000 Americans who moved within the last three years showed that 45% percent of them marked a relocation process as the most stressful event in life and 44% of them listed divorce and relationship breakups after it.
And moves are usually connected to some of these radical changes. People often move after changing a job or divorcing their partners. This situation is, therefore, even more challenging and overwhelming. Obviously, some moves happen for good reasons – for example, starting a family. No matter how it comes to this, it is undoubtedly hard to adjust to all of these changes.
How Stressful Is It to Move? Symptoms and Negative Emotions
When people find themselves in a crisis, they often start experiencing emotional, physical, cognitive, and behavioral symptoms. The first step in overcoming them is recognizing and accepting them. Further on, we’ll describe each of these symptom groups individually and try to help you understand them better.
Emotional Symptoms of Moving Stress
The first thing most of us will recognize are the following emotions:
- Anxiety and fear,
- Incapability to relax,
- Anger and annoyance for little things,
- Depression and hopelessness,
- Feeling overwhelmed with every aspect of your life.
Physical Symptoms
Some persons are rather incapable of recognizing their own emotions, so they start understanding something negative is happening to them once they start having the following physical symptoms:
- Chest pain and breathing difficulty,
- Shaking and sweating,
- Higher heart rate,
- Insomnia or hypersomnia,
- Headaches,
- Stomach pains,
- Sickness and infections caused by immunity drop.
Cognitive Symptoms
Some people might experience negative cognitive symptoms, including:
- Inability to focus on important tasks,
- Inability to stay fluid in thinking and changing from one task to another,
- Forgetfulness,
- Disorganization,
- Obsessive worrying about everything,
- Impatience,
- Pessimism,
- Inability to make decisions.
Behavioral Symptoms
Finally, people often make noticeable behavioral changes:
- Avoiding responsibilities and running away from problems,
- Skipping sleep,
- Developing eating disorders,
- Starting a substance abuse or even developing additions.
Is Moving Stressful on a Relationship and How It Affects Your Loved Ones? Everything You Need to Know
Obviously, one of the biggest issues when it comes to relocating is how it is going to reflect on your relationships. If you’re going to live far away from your job, you might start worrying about how it is going to impact your free time, precisely the time you used to spend with your family and friends.
If you’re relocating with your family, you should also think about their needs and potential anxiety. If you’re relocating with pets, you also have to stay responsible and think about their needs in your new home. Think about your priorities and discuss these changes with others. If your friends reassure you that they’ll still find time for you even after you move to another part of the city, you might start feeling much better.
It Is Never Easy to Say Goodbye – Best Ways to Break These News to Your Child
You need to be aware that children find this process very difficult as well, especially if they see that you are going through a lot of pain. They can also feel sad and lonely if they are school-aged and have to say goodbye to their friends and teachers. Some studies show that frequent moves during childhood can affect children’s relationships in the future – they become more distant and reserved in order to protect themselves from potential losses they often experienced in the past.
You have to be gentle once you explain what’s happening and ready for all kinds of questions and anger outbursts. Try to include them in the process as much as possible, don’t put them aside. Make them feel like they are in control of decisions and try making the process a lot more fun for them. They can decide which old toys can be thrown away, pack books or organize a going away party with their friends.
Manage Stress of Relocation by Following These Simple Steps
If you want to avoid anxiety, depression, or other related issues, you need to follow some simple but highly functional steps. Once you start feeling you’re in control of your future, you’ll start feeling positive and more relaxed. Some of these steps include organizing your move and making a strict schedule, planning a budget, making a relocation expenses checklist, hiring professional assistance, engaging in your habits, and taking care of your physical health.
#1 Plan and Organize Your Move on Time
If you want to feel better about this process in general, you need to stay organized and plan everything according to your possibilities and individual preferences. You can achieve this by making a substantial to-do list. While making it, think about activities you are good at, for example, do you know how to pack plates or how to pack dishes? If the answer is negative, consider hiring professionals in advance. They can provide you with excellent packing services, help you pack fragile items, show you relocation hacks, and help you move efficiently. If you’re relocating during summer when most of the relocations are taking place, booking them on time will help you relax.
#2 Declutter and Get Rid of Items You Don’t Need
Once you start packing, think about items movers won’t move and most commonly forgotten items to pack. Staying well informed about these questions will prevent unnecessary problems. You can also decide which items you don’t need to relocate and start decluttering – donating and selling some of your storage belongings will definitely help you stay on budget. Follow decluttering tips mentioned in this video.
#3 Take Care of Your Physical Health
People often forget about their healthy habits once they find themselves in a crisis. Ironically, that’s the period where your body needs to stay healthiest, so you can go through the process easier. Eat healthy food, follow your daily workout routines and have the same walks to clear your head. Also, don’t lose your sleep – if you’re feeling overwhelmed, try meditation and other relaxing methods and activities you might find helpful. Follow your schedule carefully, but don’t put too much on yourself. If you have enough time to prepare, one relocation-related activity per day is more than enough.
#4 Once Everything in Your New Home Is Assembled, Recreate Old Routines and Settings
One of the best ways to adjust to your new home environment is to transfer some of your old habits and routines there. Think about things that are important to you and your family. If you used to love your reading corner, try to make one at your new home as well. Get some new books and enjoy a relaxing cup of tea. You can also write down a list of things you achieved and you’re proud of, so every once in a while, when you feel down, reread it and remind yourself of how much you succeeded.
Avoid Relocation Stress by Hiring Professional Movers in Orange County, CA for Help
In case you don’t know how to move a piano and feel stressed about the whole process, the best thing you can do for yourself is to hire professional Orange County movers. Our local movers in Orange County, CA, can provide you with outstanding residential relocation and commercial relocation services. Our affordable movers in Orange County, CA, can even offer you a free quote if you are interested in finding out potential expenses. Contact us if you have any additional questions and start your move with us today.