Carve out time in your day just for yourself
Life with kids is full and beautiful. But it can also be chaotic, demanding and exhausting. For sure, it’s truly never dull!
When you have young children, it can be hard to find the time or energy to take care of yourself. Not when you have a “mile-long” list of things to take care of, and by default, you put yourself at the bottom –after your kids, their dad, your job, the pets, and endless errands. There’s just not enough time in the day to get everything done. You keep pushing forward and end up depleted.
The warning signs are fairly easy to recognize. You feel mentally exhausted. You find yourself being cynical. You’re less efficient and everything irritates you. You stop enjoying the things you used to take pleasure in.
Or, as one of our Facebook fans described it, “When you find the toothpaste in the fridge and the milk in the cabinet. Your hair looks more like the hedges than hair. Your clothes still have yesterday’s dinner on it. You can braid your leg hair, and the school is on first name basis with you.” Can I get an Amen?!
Forgetfulness is another warning sign. As another Facebook fan put it, “There’s nothing like being in Sam’s Club and struggling to remember if you turned off the oven!”
Here’s the thing, when mom is emotionally and mentally depleted, the whole family suffers. You can’t put yourself on the back burner forever. You need to take care of yourself.
We asked our fellow moms on Facebook to share some self-care suggestions for busy moms. Here is what they had to say.
- Go to bed at a decent hour
- Send your kids to bed early so you can have more time for yourself
- Schedule a hair appointment at an upscale salon
- Book a manicure or pedicure
- Relax in hot bubble bath
- Take a long hot shower
- Watch a little TV before bedtime — after your kids are asleep
- Take a mini vacation without the kids
- Take a nap while the kids are at school
- Pamper yourself with a massage a few times a year
- Play some music while you take a nice long shower
- Drive a little slower to get home
- Turn on your electric fireplace
- Dig out your crafting supplies
- Work outside in your flower beds
- Exercise or workout
- Take time to read
- Take a walk or go for a short drive
- Tale naps on the weekend
- Use your drive home to think, listen to music and talk to friends on the phone
- Go shopping alone
- Plan lunch with friends
- Plan a fancy, kid-free dinner once a month
- Get your husband to watch the kids on Saturday mornings so you can sleep late
- Cuddle up with a good book after your kids go to bed. Nothing beats a good book in a quiet house
- Go running by yourself
- Go to the movies alone. Buy popcorn and a drink just for you
- Pray or meditate for am hour every morning
- Plan a girls’ trip
- Take extra long at the grocery store
- Study the Bible during nap time
- Enjoy ice coffee with lots of sugar on Sundays
- Plan a “mommy day” once a month
If you’re having trouble carving out time for yourself, start small. Wake up five minutes early. Schedule short breaks during your day. Get enough sleep and don’t be afraid to ask for help.
The bottom line is this: by paying attention to your own needs, you’ll be better at meeting everyone else’s.
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