When tired, sleep. Just sleep - turn off the phone, leave the dirty dishes, just sleep. I am now way past mommying (my daughters are 38 and 42 and new moms themselves) but this is what saved me when they were young. I was in a way fortunate in that I could not function with not enough sleep, so it was essential for me. Pretend it's essential for you too. Because lack of sleep is bad for your face and bad for your health.”
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Homemade fruit smoothies. It is a fast, healthy breakfast and my son is addicted to them. Milk, plain non-fat all natural yogurt (Dannon makes it), and fruit (fresh berries, melons, whatever). I can get him to eat fruit he normally wouldn't if I blend it in. If you pair it with a slice of whole wheat toast with a smear of peanut butter, you have a perfectly well rounded breakfast for toddlers with hardly any prep time.
Honestly? I make use of the downtime in between tasks. I check email while the pasta water boils, I put makeup on in the car - ONLY at stoplights, and I put off answering texts or emails for when I'm waiting in line at the bank. But I also prioritize a little "moment of peace" time, if I only have a second. I just close my eyes and breathe till the toaster oven dings.
I added some children's book titles to my e-Reader. When I am running errands and the kids get bored, I can whip it out to keep them entertained. I love that they are reading and learning to love some of my childhood favorites along the way.
I allow myself at least 30 minutes of reading time before bed every night. No matter how tired I am. It helps me to relax. I love reading.
I am a WAHM and doing that juggle can be a real challenge. One thing that helps me a lot is to have a network of people I connect with online or on the phone, with whom I can share ideas and support. Working with a biz coach is a huge help as well because it allows me to identify and focus on my priorities.
I am fortunate enough to have a best friend who's been in my life since I was five. Our mothers went to nursing school together, we attended the same small neighborhood church and went to the same school from Kindergarten through high school graduation, and were in each other's weddings. She knows me better than anyone else on the planet and vice versa. The kind of soul mates who can abbreviate an entire explanation using a single word or name from the past. But she lives 90 minutes away. So, every six months we meet in the middle for dinner to celebrate our respective birthdays. Just the two of us...no husbands, no kids, no interruptions...just two best friends laughing about the good times, crying about the tough ones, and swapping secrets. No matter how broke we are or how busy we get, we make this night happen twice a year. When I know I've got that on my calendar, I can get through just about anything!
I am so busy working full time, being an Avon Independent Sales Representative and Team Leader, and a single mom of 3, with high blood pressure. I have always been trying to lose weight...for as long as I can remember, but hate to exercise. So, I had this idea that when things feel too stressful for me after a long day of work and returning home to 3 teens with all their issues, I will just walk out the front door and take a "health walk" instead of going to exercise. I don't put pressure on myself to reach any goals, or go for a certain amount of time, just walk to walk and de-stress. It works really well because once I get out there, with no pressure to achieve anything, I find myself walking longer and sometimes faster than when I started out, and always come back feeling refreshed, and it has helped with the weight as well.
I am trying to make a better effort to get my "me time" in. I usually let this go first when I am too busy to think, but then the my stress level increases dramatically! I have been turning weekend naptime into mommy funtime! Sking is my sport and getting outside for some fresh air does the trick. I got out three times Christmas weeknd and I am on top of the world this week feeling like I can tackle anything! I can be a better mom, wife, and friend when I get to do what I love.
