Yes it’s true, a mother’s job is never done. Most times weekdays roll right into weekends without much change in the daily routine. Babies have no concept of the weekend and tyrannous toddlers may even wake up an hour earlier, just to mess with their tired moms. But for our family, there is one thing that differs on the weekend, Papa is home! That extra pair of eyes and hands makes a huge difference. It makes an even bigger difference when my hubby takes the kids out for some weekend shopping or a trip to the park to give me a chance to write in peace or just get a few things done around the house. So although I don’t work outside of our home, on Sunday evenings I start feeling that dread in the pit of my stomach that many people experience. I get Monday Blues.

I know that this week I will struggle to get my 2 kids, stroller and over packed diaper bag out the door, down the elevator (possibly with my toddler pushing all the buttons), through the parking lot and strapped into their car seats. It’s quite the mission! Not to mention the occasions that my toddler decides he wants to practice running… in the parking lot!!! I know that I will rush to make the house presentable before my son’s speech therapist arrives for his session. I imagine that I will make a dinner or two, with the sound of my 9 month old screaming at the highest octaves from the “dark depths of her toy-filled playpen.” Sometimes tasks that should be simple become over complicated by the fact that I am trying to do them in the midst of caring for my 2 jewels. Thinking about these “drowning in quicksand moments” that sometimes overshadow my week, builds an anxiety within me. It’s a feeling that puts a damper on my spirit. Recently I made a conscious decision to find my way to a happier and healthier version of myself. I reflected on these Monday Blues and thought of a few things I could do to chase them away and kick start my week in a great way!

1.       Make a to-do-list. Sometimes the workload and balancing act is so overwhelming I don’t know where to begin to get things done and end up getting nothing done at all. This makes me feel worthless and unhappy. Making a short and realistic to do list helped me to feel more in control of my life. Crossing things off on my list made me feel even better!

2.     Get out of the house. I don’t know about you but some fresh air and good old vitamin D can do me a world of good. Put the kids in the stroller and go for a walk or take them to the park! Plus, playing in the park gets the kids super tired. This means less bedtime drama for me!

3.       Eat something healthy for breakfast. I find that starting off my Monday with a healthy meal, sets the tone for a week of good eating. When I start off the week with a pop-tart or bowl of sugary cereal it feels like I’ve lost the war before even arriving at the battle. But something like an omelette with spinach, or even scrambled eggs with avocados, helps me to feel good and ready to take on the challenges of the week.

4.       Count your blessings. Take a few moments on Monday morning to jot down what you’re grateful for. By refocusing your mind on what’s good in your life instead of those little things that are frustrating, you’re inviting positive thoughts in and setting yourself up to be in a better mood, have a better day and a good week.

5.       Forgive yourself. With all of the pressure to be a perfect parent nowadays, it’s hard to relax. Moms are ridiculously hard on themselves, but we have to remember that we are human. We will “lose our shit” sometimes but that’s okay! It’s okay to not get a million things done successfully in one day. It’s okay to be late for an appointment once in a while, we’re moms after all and there’s a lot on our plate!

These tips worked for me! Try one or two or a few today and let us know how they made you feel in the comments. Feel free to share your own tips on what Mommies can do to kick start to a great week! We can’t wait to hear from you!

© Nicola Rios Nogales and ispeakmom.com, 2016. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Nicola Rios Nogales and ispeakmom.com with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.