On the move?
Pervin Shaikh, founder of Aim High Ltd gives us her Top Tips to Deal with the Stress of Relocating
Moving homes can be one of the most stressful experiences an individual can face in his/her life and relocating to another country can be an even more daunting experience, especially if the family is making the move too. Incidentally, moving home is second to bereavement when it comes to stress levels!
Planning is key when it comes to relocating, not only do the logistics need to be sorted out such as finding a new home in a new country, new schools, transitioning into another country, but also dealing with the human emotions that go with the relocation process. Feelings of “will Iwe fit in? What if we don’t like the accommodation being provided? The prospect of a new job or promotion can also evoke stress and anxiety. If children are involved, then wondering whether they will make the adjustments into a new school or worrying if they will make new friends quickly.
Here are Find top tips to take out the stress factor when relocation.
Identifying the Cause of Stress
Typically, as the momentum builds up towards the relocation date, so do stress levels. No amount of planning can alleviate the stress levels if the individual continuously worries about the “I’m sure I’ve forgotten something” feeling. It is important to identify WHEN things become stressful, as prevention is better than cure. Stress can manifest in different forms and vary from person to person. For some people, stress may manifest physically and for others it may be an emotional display. It is important to know when and how stress manifests itself. Following are questions, which can serve as a useful reminder:
- What is not working for me right now?
- What am I feeling?
- What one thing needs to happen in order for me to make this situation/feeling better?
- Who else can help me?
- Where can I seek help?
- What can prevent me from seeking the help that I need?
Seeking Help Early
It may be that help is at hand whether through friends or family who can help compartmentalise the relocation process into operations, logistics and execution. However, more people are turning to professional relocating companies who can take the strain out from the whole process.
Adopt a “Top Down/Bottoms Up” approach to the process of relocating and seek help early to ensure a smoother process. This means planning forward, but working backwards towards the moving date, which includes identifying key dates and ensuring plan of action is place to ensure activities are executed. If an individual feels challenged with the prospect of the move, then seek help early.
Use Reputable Relocating Services Companies whose job is to make relocating stress free as is humanly possible. Arrange to meet the consultant when you know you are relocating and make a list of questions, queries, problems or issues before the meeting so as to have a productive consultation. Consultants are not mind readers, so if there are issues or specific requests, then make these known during the course of the meeting.
Professional Relocating companies usually have a basic checklist of items they need to raise with the client, but it is a good idea, to get testimonials from past clients. Testimonials can be very reassuring especially if the whole process has been feeling overwhelming. Each relocating experience is different, so having a tailored service to meet your needs may be the crucial factor in selecting a company to help with the move.
Plan Some “Me” Time
“Me Time” is usually a crucial aspect that many people take for granted during this process. People can get so absorbed and immersed in the moving process, they sometimes forget to pencil in “Me Time”. “Me Time” can manifest in many forms and the individual can do whatever s/he feels would shift focus for a while and to take stock of what is happening. It could mean taking some time off from planning/going out for dinner or having a treat.
Stress levels will vary as the moving date comes closer and being aware of the cause of stress, can empower an individual to take corrective measures to ensure a smooth planning. Seeking help early and planning will enable the individual to feel in control and avoid last minute panic and decision making.
Happy moving!
If you’re planning a move then cushion the impact can help. Use our Relocation Buddy Service to ease the pressure.
