Treat yourself
If you had a few hours to do whatever you wanted, what would it be? Going out to lunch with a friend? A spa day? Curl up with a good book? Whatever it is that comes to mind, make it happen. This may not be feasible every week, but on occasion, you have to allow yourself time to do something you really want to do in order to boost your depleted energy. Ask for help from your partner, a friend, or hire a babysitter to make it happen and treat yourself. Remember that caring for ourselves is part of what makes us able to care for our families better.
Take a quick pause
There are days when I am overwhelmed by the things on my plate and the kids are pushing every button. I find myself struggling to get through the hardest days and I end up short-tempered and exhausted. A friend suggested that each day I take 10 minutes for myself in the afternoon to reset my attitude. Some days this is simply taking a shower during nap time, other days it is sitting down with my coffee and just taking a moment to focus on my breathing. Sometimes, sitting down and snuggling with my kids while they watch cartoons gives me a moment to rest and recharge.
Schedule a date night
Parenting is hard work for both moms and dads. Many weeks my husband and I find ourselves passing each other as we take kids to different practices and activities leaving us little time to talk and reconnect. When we start to feel distant, it’s time to schedule a date night. This helps both of us relax and recharge. If a babysitter isn’t in the budget, put the kids to bed early and enjoy a late dinner or a movie together.
Protect your time
One of the biggest struggles parents face is lack of free time. We have good intentions of spending quality time with those we love, taking care of ourselves, and creating a good work/home life balance and then we look at our calendar and it feels out of control. Choose carefully what you commit to when it comes to kids’ extracurricular activities, volunteer opportunities, and other commitments. Overcommitment can be a cause for stress and zap all your energy. Saying no is hard for many of us, but the resulting chaos is not good for internal peace.
Self care
As moms it’s not hard to become so busy caring for everyone else, that we forget to take care of ourselves. It’s important to do things that maintain your mental and physical health. Practice good hygiene, go to yearly checkups at the dentist and doctor, do monthly breast exams, and find things that take care of your mind and body. By choosing to care for yourself, you are teaching your kids that health is a priority and that you want to be an active and energetic part of their lives as long as possible.
Let some things go
The one thing I have learned from being a mom for 14 years is that it’s okay to let some things go. There are only so many hours in the day and there are times when I find I have no energy for doing the dishes. While they cannot be ignored indefinitely, they can be ignored for a few hours. If my child wants to wear mismatched clothes, I consider whether a fight worth my energy and usually decide to let it go. Most household chores can wait until tomorrow if I need to sit down, play with my kids, talk to my spouse, and recharge my energy. I know that the to-do list cannot be ignored forever and not every problem can simply be let go. However, when your energy is depleted, it’s okay to let go of some things, even temporarily in order to be a more attentive, patient, and energetic mom. In ten years no one will remember if my house is clean (it isn’t), but they will remember that we laughed, snuggled, and did our best each day. They will also remember that sometimes mom needs a break to recharge and that is important too.
