Between work, chauffeuring the kids in between a laundry list of activities, cooking, cleaning, and even, sometimes walking the dog, busy mom’s have a tendency to do it all while putting themselves and their health on the back burner.
Letting self-care fall by the wayside is not good for you or your family. Obviously, heading to a spin class or cross fit on a daily basis may be a bit out of reach, for now, but there are things that you can do to prevent yourself from becoming worn down, sick, and out of shape. Here are a few tips to help you get into the groove.
1. Let them be one with the screen Limiting screen time for television, video games, cellphones, etc. is a great idea, but when the kids are becoming one with the screen, you enjoy that time as well! Take screen time as an opportunity to sit back, relax, and do absolutely nothing.
2. H20 Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate! There is nothing more important than making sure that you are well hydrated. Symptoms of dehydration include increased thirst, dry mouth, swollen tongue, weakness, dizziness, palpitations, confusion, sluggishness, fainting, inability to sweat, and decreased urine output. If you don’t necessarily “like water,” grab a glass anyway and add a lemon, a lime, or a cucumber for an even more refreshing taste!
3. Get up and get moving Take the kids on a walk, kick the ball around in the front yard, go for a swim but take :30 minutes out of your day to get up and get moving! Doing this with the kids can enhance family quality time while getting in your daily recommended exercise regimen. Multi-tasking doesn’t always have to be bad.
4. Prep meals to last If you are already in the kitchen preparing a meal, get out the bigger pot and cut up more veges. Turn one big meal into three or four. Add different side dishes and plop it all in the freezer. Before you know it, you will have prepared different meals for more than one day and instead of coming home to cook, all you will have to do is heat and serve.
5. Put the book down, turn off the t.v., stop scrolling and go to sleep You may think that reading, watching t.v. or scrolling through social media is relaxing right before bedtime, but it is not. Your body needs time to shut down and unplug from all of our modern distractions. Turn off the fun at least :30 mins before bedtime and just go to sleep. In the morning you will feel relaxed, refreshed, and ready to go!
