It seems like you’re in full-octane the moment you’re up until the last moment before bed. There’s a lot of work you must put in when being a mom. It often feels like the household is only held together by your relentless efforts. Before long… it starts to wear on you.
Things go a little wonky:
- You’re missing valuable sleep
- You’re eating irregularly
- You’re feeling blah
It all starts to add up – but you can’t stop now.
Staying Healthy
You’re the type to say, “I’m done when I’m done” when referencing your day. That’s great! But… You need to make sure you’re taking care of your physical and mental health.
Image Source: Flickr
It Begins with a Good Night’s Rest
You’re the type to get half of those 40 winks each night. There’s almost a sense of pride how much you’re getting done with such little sleep. That’s not good.
We can’t all get it but that 8 hours of sleep really is crucial to our health and well-being. Getting fewer hours make you irritable, makes you susceptible to illness, and can even increase heart disease.
There are a few things you can do to get better sleep:
- Keep a regular sleep schedule
- Don’t keep electronics in the bedroom
- Stay active (exercise) throughout the day
You’ll also want to invest in a high-quality mattress to drift off to la-la land faster. Bedding Mart is a good place to start with replacing that mattress you’ve probably had for the past decade.
It includes “Microcising”
I made that up – let’s just define it as doing incremental exercises throughout the day.
You’re busy, making it near impossible to squeeze in quality workouts, right? Not true. It’s totally worthwhile to spend 5-10 minutes doing a routine if you can versus skipping the hour you had promised yourself when you signed up for that gym membership.
What are some things you can do?
- Clean – Yup! 30 minutes of cleaning will burn almost 100 calories (something easily done when it’s cumulative throughout the day!)
- Pace – Fidgeting will burn an extra 300-350 calories a day so get up, pace around, bouncing those legs when you’re sitting, and just generally stay busy.
- 7-Min Workouts – These apps (and YT videos) are quite popular; follow along for that 7-minutes doing squats, planks, and pushups, and you’re on the right track!
Couple this with a mix of calorie counting and more veggies.
It’s these little lifestyle changes that’ll make a difference when you’re always on the go.
It also Means Emotional Stability
Modern family life is overworked and overstressed.
We do all we can to keep finances in check by putting in our 40-hours. We come home and start our “second shift” of taking care of the household. Mix in those errands, drama, and maybe some infidelity, and you’ve got a recipe for a mental breakdown.
You need to take care of your emotional health:
- Keep a journal as an outlet for your wins and losses
- Seek emotional support from therapy (if needed)
- Communicate with your spouse and family
But it’s not only the therapy stuff…
- Take a day for yourself – Go to the park, shopping, see friends, or bum out
- Work on those hobbies you’ve been putting off
- Go out and have a fun time at a local event or a nice restaurant
Going from home to work, work to home, in a never-ending cycle of busyness will have its emotional toll. Find outlets that rekindle your passion and drive.
How do You Balance Work, Family, and Life?
There’s a lot riding on your shoulders being a mom. There’s no good when you’re sacrificing your health and well-being. Treat yourself and take care of those stressors.