Four Ways To Take Care of You

?

When you are home with your little ones and working all day, whether it is on your business or around the home, you will encounter stress. As moms (and stay at home dads), we are often putting ourselves last. We are often told to take care of everyone and everything else, first. But not so fast- it’s similar to the airlines saying to put on your mask first, so you can take care of your child or traveling partner. You can’t help someone else if you’re stressed out or sick. Here are four easy ways to take care of yourself first so that you can take care of your business and family.?

?

Exercise.? Doctors and health gurus have told us all that exercising is good for you. (https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness) Whether you like to exercise or not, it’s true- it releases tension and stress, and endorphins. Schedule exercise into your daily routine or at least three times a week. If you have older children, take them with you on a walk, or to the park to play while you walk or run. If you have younger children, put them in a wagon and pull them along while you walk (you’ll be using muscles you didn’t know you had!). If you have younger children, assign an older child to watch them play at the park while you walk or run. Hire someone for just an hour, if need be. Choose something that you find fun- it doesn’t have to be boring!?

?

Bubble Bath. ?Who doesn’t enjoy relaxing in a tub filled with hot water and bubbles? There is a lot of bubble soap on the market but why don’t you try something new and make yours with essential oils? Making bubble soap is super fun and easy! (https://www.onegoodthingbyjillee.com/make-your-own-aromatherapy-bubble-bath/)

If you have trouble coming up with a time to take a relaxing soak, try scheduling it in your calendar- maybe after the children go to bed or while the older ones keep an eye on the younger ones watching a movie? It doesn’t have to be every night but it just might become your favorite way to relax.?

?

Journaling. ?This is my favorite by far. I love to write and there are a lot of pretty and inexpensive journals on the market. It is another way to release stress and if you’re worried that someone might read it, simply hide it in a safe place. (https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/journaling_to_reduce_stress)? For me, journaling works to release stress and frustrations. I don’t hold anything back. By getting everything out in a journal, it will help you to stop thinking about the things that are stressful or upsetting to you. All it takes is five minutes and you can build it into your quiet time routine. When you write things down and come back to them, you might find out that you have an answer for whatever problem was causing stress.

?

Coloring. Coloring is not for kids anymore. There are a lot of cute coloring books out on the market and it is one of my favorite ways to relax. There are also places where you can get free wall prints that you color and hang on your wall. There are also places where you can get free wall prints that you color and hang on your wall. A good place to go to get wall prints is either online or my favorite place, (https://www.sarahtitus.com) I’ve been able to get free online prints that can be colored. They also make pretty gifts for others. A bonus!?

?Doctors agree that it is a good way to reduce stress (https://health.clevelandclinic.org/3-reasons-adult-coloring-can-actually-relax-brain/) it is a good activity that you can also get your kids involved with. Who knows, it might actually relax them, too, which is a plus! If you cannot seem to remember to color, build it into your quiet time. Do it right after the kids go to bed and before you take a bubble bath- you’ll be super relaxed and stress-free.

?

A bonus tip: grab a cup of coffee, tea, or hot chocolate and sit outside to watch the sun rise- it is a great way to start the day focused and not stressed or worried. If it is too cold, sit with a throw wrapped around you. Once you’re relaxed, it is a good time to start your quiet time and then, plan your day. Learn to be flexible. Live intentionally by focusing on what matters- your family. Remind yourself of why you chose to work from home. Was it to be flexible so you could spend more time with family and friends? Was it to pay off debt? Travel? Buy a home, instead of renting?

?

Bonus tip: you can throw in a DVD or live stream a TV show or movie if you don’t have cable or satellite (such as DIRECTV). Live streaming is defined as “any media content – live or recorded – delivered to computers and mobile devices via the Internet and played back in real time. Podcasts, webcasts, movies, TV shows and music videos are common forms of streaming content.” (https://www.verizon.com/info/definitions/streaming/)???

Of course, you may feel guilty sitting around doing nothing while watching a movie, but you can use this time to fold laundry.? Another idea is to simply watch the movie/TV show with a notebook in hand. You can glean ideas to use in your business. For example, if you’re a writer, you can glean fresh material ideas to use in whatever you’re working on (blogs, content writing, novels, etc). A few other ways to reduce or relax include talking with a friend, playing music, playing with an animal, going for a walk with your dog, cooking or baking.

?

While this may not be an extensive list, 2020 was super stressful to a lot of people by having their routines interrupted, children who went to school suddenly home, and maybe a spouse who now works from home. For those who are staying home with family and children, we have developed a new normal.