In your never-ending endeavor to be everything to everyone in your family, don’t forget to take some time to focus on your own needs and make choices to start taking care of yourself. In the short term, that means making space in your day-to-day life for rest, entertainment and the things that keep you happy and content. It could be reading a novel, watching an episode of your favorite TV show, or getting together with your best friend for coffee and a catch-up. It’s whatever keeps you centered and gives a positive boost to your day.
In the long term, remember that before you can take care of everyone else, you really do need to take care of yourself. That means making regular exercise a part of your routine instead of an option that falls by the wayside when other obligations crop up. It also means scheduling regular health checkups and visiting the doctor when you’re not feeling up to par. To be the best mom you can be, you also have to let yourself grow and pursue long-range goals like continuing your education or learning a new skill.
Focus on Self-Improvement
Have you always wanted to know how to throw pottery on a wheel? Do you secretly wish you could participate in the next 5K run in your community? There’s no reason not to dive in with both feet. Just use the scheduling chops you’ve developed when it comes to arranging lessons, playdates and other appointments for your kids. Clever prioritizing will help you find the time to take lessons, go for practice runs or participate in any other self-improvement project that will enrich your life. Focusing on yourself is a great way of taking care of yourself.
Get a Degree
Many women wish they could complete their education but consider it to be a pipe dream. Whether you’re a stay-at-home mum or have a career, there are only so many hours in the day, right? If only there were degree programs that catered to people with full lives and tons of responsibilities. Actually, there are! Online higher education is the wave of the future, and there are many opportunities out there. You can even take part-time online postgraduate coursesin Australia.
Learn Online
This is the time-saver you need to fit continuing education into your life. The benefit of going back to school online is that you can work on your class material anywhere, as long as you have your laptop and access to the internet. And you can finish your education on a part-time basis. Some educational providers allow you to take just one course at a time, and many master’s degree programs are designed to be completed this way. Accelerated courses allow you to get a degree in a couple of years, even studying part-time. This is a great way to start taking care of yourself.
Share the Load
Don’t sacrifice sleep or free time trying to be a super-mom. You’ll be doing the kids a favor by teaching them to be self-sufficient from an early age. The trick is settling for less than perfection from their efforts. When you enlist your children’s help, the household isn’t going to be cared for just like you would do it at first. But once your kids get the hang of simple household chores, you’ll be surprised at the load it removes from your shoulders. Not only that, it’s a great self-esteem builder for them.
Prioritize
Don’t fall into the trap of thinking that you can take care of yourself once your “to-do” list is complete. Here’s a secret: it will never, ever be finished. That’s why it’s vital to consider your own needs now, not at some point down the line, after you deal with other things. That mythical time will never come, so decide right from the start that your happiness and contentment are just as important as getting all your obligations met. You may need to sit down and take a good hard look at how much you’re trying to fit into your life and which things can stand to be dropped for now.
A Happy Mom is Good For The Whole Family
You’ve probably heard the expression, “you can’t draw water from an empty well.” Don’t let yourself become so wrung out that you don’t have the energy to be your best self. Caring for your family means seeing to the wellbeing and happiness of all members, including you. It may be hard to change old habits, but even setting aside twenty minutes a day for yourself is a good start.
Think about the big picture as well. What are you going to do with yourself once you no longer have all the responsibilities of motherhood? Follow your passion: cultivate a new hobby, go back to school, learn a new sport or find something that fits in with your own unique interests. Not only will you benefit from taking care of yourself, but your family will prosper from the care you show toward yourself.
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