You are running on fumes. Last night you didn’t get to bed until almost midnight. The alarm sounded this morning at 6 am and it was all you could do to not hit snooze for the 3rd time.
You remember that you have to leave 10 minutes earlier than usual today because you have a virtual meeting with your new manager and you have to be in the office for that call.
Your kids will be up soon and you still need to make their lunches to take to school. The thoughts keep coming as you quickly get ready and you feel overwhelmed before the day has really even started.
It’s a busy world. There is no stopping the busyness. Most days run fairly smoothly, but there are never enough hours in the day to get everything done.
THE CATCH-22 THAT ALL PARENTS STRUGGLE WITH
The catch is you have a million things to do, and the last one on the list is YOU! But take heed — you must find a way to recharge and re-energize if you want to stay on top of your game.
Your family, your job, your friends all need you to be the best you can be. You are not doing yourself any favors by continuing to put yourself last all the time.
IT IS POSSIBLE TO GET OUT OF THE CYCLE OF EXHAUSTION
I get it. I have been down this road more days than I want to admit. And I could never buy into the “pamper myself” mindset.
But something had to give. So I came up with these 25 tips that are, for the most part, short and easy to implement. Throw away the thought that you need to set aside hours of time to recharge.
These are doable. These are necessary to keep you going full steam ahead.
Pick a few that sound appealing and run with it! I opted for 25 so that you would have choices. We’re all different and what may appeal to one person may sound ridiculous to another.
Start today! You deserve it. You’ve earned it!
25 TIPS TO TAKE A BREAK AND RECHARGE
- Take a quick 10-minute spin around the block. Getting outside and moving is always a top-notch idea. It clears your mind a bit, gets your blood flowing. Just the change of scenery is soothing.
- Get up 10–20 minutes earlier than usual. Make sure it’s before everyone else gets up. Make this your “you time.”
- Keep a gratitude journal. Just 5–10 minutes in the morning, at night, or whatever time you know you can stick to. I’m naturally a grateful person, so I truly thought this was a bunch of hype. Now I am a big fan. It allows me to slow down long enough to reflect on what is important and separate that from the chaos.
- Train yourself to take 10 deep breaths…really deep breaths several times per day. This is a big one. Before you roll your eyes and dismiss this as ridiculous, just give it a try. Deep breathing has a long list of benefits. Among these, according to Kristoffer Rhoades, Ph.D. at the Harborview Medical Center, it “enables more air to flow into your body and can help calm your nerves, reducing stress and anxiety. It can also help you improve your attention span and lower pain levels.” It won’t happen right away, but after a few days, you will notice a remarkable difference.
- Read 1 chapter in a fiction or even non-fiction book that either entertains or inspires you. Books are a great “quick escape” and allow you to indulge your imagination for a bit. It may take some discipline to stop at one chapter. That is always my challenge. Once I start reading I don’t want to stop!
- Spend some time in your garden if you have one. Just pulling a few weeds or trimming a few branches can be very therapeutic. If you don’t have a garden, consider starting an indoor herb garden. Not only does this give you the benefit of having fresh herbs handy for cooking, it also provides a splash of green to your indoor space.
- If you are a crafter of any type, take a few minutes to work on your project. This can be a perfect way to recharge. You craft because you enjoy it, so it’s really a no-brainer. Whether it’s knitting, cross-stitch, scrapbooking, or whatever you love to do, take a few minutes here and there. I used to put my scrapbooking aside until I had hours of time to sit down and work on it. But guess what? It never happened. So now, I have my pile of photos handy to sort or arrange a little at a time and it’s allowed me to make so much progress. Very satisfying!
- Have a cup of hot tea or coffee. Just sit down and enjoy that cup of hot goodness while doing nothing else. Stare out the window. Put your feet up on the couch. The point is to take a break. I have a friend who swears by drinking hot water with just a little lemon in it and sipping that.
- A hot bubble bath is really hard to beat if you can squeeze about 30 minutes out of your day. If you haven’t taken a bubble bath in a while because well, ‘who takes the time to do that anymore,’ just find a way. I do this every so often now and really indulge with a glass of wine and my favorite music playing. It is pure relaxation (and so simple to do!)
- Write a friend or a relative a hand-written note on some beautiful stationery. Writing letters and cards is becoming a lost art. Of course, it’s quicker to send a text or an email. But the art of sitting down and writing is an important brain activity. According to an article in Psychology Today, writing by hand “is a good cognitive exercise for baby boomers who want to keep their minds sharp as they age.” Additionally, think of the joy you will be providing someone when they receive your note in the mail!
- Phone a friend! If you’re like me, I talk a lot during the day. Due to that, I often shy away from calling a long-distance friend and before I know it, weeks and months can go by. Nurturing these friendships is important. Sometimes just sharing what’s going on in your life and hearing about someone else’s joys and challenges gives you a mental and emotional boost.
- Get your last vacation photos off your phone or computer. Those trip memories can immediately boost your energy and happiness levels. I find that making a quick photo book (the electronic version that is then printed) is a wonderful way to really enjoy those photos and memories to the fullest. It is so fast now with all the various apps and programs available. Once you’ve done one, you’ll want to make more. I have a friend who religiously makes one photo book per trip she and her family take. It’s great not only for you but for your whole family to browse through easily and often!
- Pull out some of your kids’ baby photos. No matter what else is going on, if you really need a “mood boost,” there is nothing like this to ground your thoughts and emotions. If they are all digital, I highly recommend printing at least 20 or more to have handy for flipping through every now and then. Pick your favorites and walk down memory lane.
- Try a 7-minute workout. It is no secret that exercise is vital to your health. But if you’re like me and are not a disciplined exerciser because you just “can’t find the time,” maybe it’s time to change things up a bit. Finding or dedicating 30–60 minutes to exercise is indeed not easy. But procrastinating time to exercise because of that is a really bad idea. This new concept of a “7-minute exercise routine” has become very popular. There are apps and videos available to give you ideas, but you can also design your own. All excuses for this can now effectively be thrown out the window!
- Meditate. Ahhh — the guru of self-help and self-care. Meditation used to be a foreign, unknown practice that only people of eastern cultures knew about. But meditation has been in western mainstream for a long time now. If you haven’t embraced this yet, I do encourage you to give it a try. Just think of it as 5 or 10 minutes of “nothingness.” I am very much a novice and still struggle with trying to “quiet my mind,” but just the act of sitting quietly, focusing on your breath is very peaceful. The main idea is not to shy away from trying meditation because it is too hard to master. There is nothing to master, you just do it.
- Keep a journal. This is also a great way to recharge as you can “dump” your thoughts from going around and around in your head onto a piece of paper. That act of writing can bring a lot of calm to your day. I tend to forget a lot of things, so knowing I am writing them down brings me a sense of peace. It also helps to reflect on the good parts of the day. I want to remember that hilarious comment my child made about how weird her socks looked today. The smallest things can bring the biggest smiles.
- Join in the adult coloring book or paint by numbers craze. It’s another activity that connects your brain to the physical motion of your hand on paper that has a calming, soothing effect. And if you have zero artistic skills like me, producing something like this makes you feel proud and happy!
- S t r e t c h. Just lie down on the floor, bring your hands straight back over your head, and stretch. I’m not kidding. Stretching feels so good and not only relaxes but rejuvenates you. Of course, it’s great if you add other stretches to just this one, but overall it just feels good to stretch!
- Treat yourself to a face mask and/or eye mask. There are so many to choose from or you can quickly whip up your own with ingredients from your pantry such as honey and olive oil. This has the double benefit of doing something relaxing but also doing your skin a great favor by adding important moisturizers and nutrients.
- Learn some basic reflexology techniques and give yourself a foot and hand massage. According to WebMD, “Reflexology may help you feel less stressed, more relaxed, and more energized.” My kids love it when I give them a foot massage using some basic reflexology techniques. It is quite easy to practice this on yourself and it definitely feels wonderful.
- When was the last time you bought and read an actual magazine? Next time you’re at the grocery store, pick up a magazine as you’re checking out. Whether it’s about cooking, exercise, home decor, fashion — just pick one and sit down, put your feet up and browse through it. It is nothing that requires much brainpower and it’s just fun and entertaining. I have always enjoyed this as a quick way to relax. You never know what ideas you might pick up: who knew you could use corks to make a picture frame?
- Go outside with your camera or smartphone and find things to photograph. When you start looking at things through “different eyes,” it’s amazing what you’ll see! Look at the beautiful colors in those roses, the unusual way the branches bend on that tree, the sun rays shining on that rock. It’s not about producing award-winning photography, it’s about focusing your mind on what is right there in front of you. Try this. I find this an amazing way to spend 10 or 15 minutes right outside my door. And who knows, you might surprise yourself and take a shot that is frame-worthy!
- Ready for a fun one? Plan a date night! Granted this is not a 10-minute stress reliever, but so important to find some time to do this every once in a while. Some couples try for once a week, most I know will do this about once a month. I think the planning is almost as fun as the actual date. Which restaurant? Is there a festival going on? Maybe an art gallery then cocktails somewhere? How about a picnic to a special spot? The list goes on and on. Great to have some fun and the very important time to re-connect with your partner away from the daily busyness.
- Plan an adult night-in. If you have kids who are old enough to spend the night at a friend’s house, instead of a night out, change it up and have a movie-pizza night just for the two of you at home. Sometimes not having to plan or going out somewhere is more relaxing. Either way, time away from the kids every once in a while is a much-needed reprieve.
- You’ll like this one — get a massage. For me, this is probably the ultimate in luxurious relaxation. Definitely something you have to plan and set a bit more time aside, but just do it! Ask for this as a birthday or Christmas present if you don’t want to indulge and spend the money on yourself. I have received a few of these and enjoy every minute of it. Not only is it relaxing, it is also good for you as a massage releases a lot of toxins built up in your body. Go and enjoy!
ADD A FEW OF THESE TIPS TO THE TOP OF YOUR NEXT TO-DO LIST
I doubt these tips will prevent you from ever feeling frazzled and exhausted again, but you’ll undoubtedly feel better when you incorporate some of these into your daily routine.
The busyness of life is here to stay. But gliding through the busyness gracefully and energetically puts a whole new spin on things.
However, merely reading through this list and “thinking about it” won’t bring about any changes.
Put one or two of these that resonate with you right on top of your to-do list. Don’t leave it to chance or it won’t ever happen.
Put reminders on sticky notes around the house. For example, write the word “BREATHE” and post it on the refrigerator, on your bathroom mirror, on the coffee table.
No one can make these changes except you. You’ve earned it, you deserve it. Your family will love you even more when you are fully charged!