How to find time for self-care amidst chaos
The last two weeks have been seriously rough. It started last Monday with food poisoning or a stomach virus (the cause still unknown) that landed me in the ER, requiring 4 bags of IV fluid. It took me all week to recover and just as I was starting to feel like myself again, my son came down with something that he is still battling. A hospital visit, several trips to the doctor, and 3 nights of very little sleep have left me feeling depleted.
All of this couldn’t have happened at a worse time as I’m preparing to attend my first blogging conference (BlogHER 2017) and our first across the world trip as a family! With my plate feeling 200% full, self-care has taken a back seat this week and I’m really feeling it!
Since my goal this year is to take action and be solution oriented, I spent some time this morning thinking about what I could do to get some self-care in. Here’s what I came up with and hopefully I’ll be following my own advice today and over the next few days!
· Turn bath-time into spa-time.
Yes, I know it’s hard to take a luxurious bath with kids and I’m definitely not suggesting this if you’re home alone with the kids. But I usually take a bath after the kids are in bed, when my husband is home or when I have someone around who can watch for a little while. Even if it’s only 5 or ten minutes, every little bit counts. Since I am fortunate enough to have some help today, I will be dimming the lights in my bath area, locking the door and doing a 5-10 minute meditation using an app. I use Simple Habit!
· Relaxation errands.
Is there such a thing? I’m going to make it a thing! I have a pile up of errands to run today and driving in general could be quite stressful here in South Florida. But, I will be listening to my relaxation music while I drive, and taking deep breaths at every traffic light!
· Ask for and accept help.
This is something that I really struggle with, but I’m getting better at it! Yesterday I called in a babysitter because I knew I couldn’t handle another trip to the doctor with both kids. Today, instead of cancelling a lunch date with an old friend, I’m accepting help and stepping out for a few hours. This is tough for me to do as I worry so much, but I know that I’ll be close by and just a phone call away. I know that I need the change of scenery, time out and some adult conversation.
· Get moving.
My body is tired, but I’m going to try a yoga workout with the kids. It may not be perfect but even the laughter and giggles that I’m sure will ensue as they try to copy my moves, will help to improve my mood. I always find that a light workout helps to energize me, even when I’m super tired.
· Eat something good.
One of my vices is turning to comfort food when things get rough. This week, I reverted to old ways and a few bags of gummy bears disappeared from my hubby’s stash. I don’t even like gummy bears that much. Today I’m going to drink a green smoothie and eat lots of fruit and veggies to give my body some much needed nutrients to recover from the stress.
I'll keep you posted on how this all works out for me and I hope you try some of them too!
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