In the kind of lifestyle the 21st century imposes on us, it seems like we have so many obligations to juggle that our own well-being often has to take the backseat. This is even truer for parents who are working hard to provide for their children while also taking care of them and dealing with tasks 24/7. If you’re in good health, you rarely stop to think about this; you take on even more work to the point of sleep deprivation, stress and irritability. This can work for a while, but certainly not for long. You can unexpectedly come down with something and that one moment will be enough for you to reevaluate your entire lifestyle. Before that happens, you must stop and think: is it time you took better care of yourself? If the answer is yes, stay tuned to learn how to do exactly that.
Managing stress
Most, if not all of us are under at least some kind of stress. And while we brush it off as normal most of the time, it can actually have quite detrimental effects on your physical and mental health. It can worsen existing conditions and it can also worsen your personal relationships. Finding effective ways to manage stress is thus of crucial importance.
Each person is different so it varies what works for whom, but what we can certainly pin down as prerequisites for managing stress levels are all the following tips we are about to elaborate on. You can also introduce healthy habits into your routine such as not checking work emails once you are in bed or turning your phone off when you have a free weekend, but healthy eating, exercise, saying no, going to regular checkups and getting enough sleep are all important factors in keeping stress at bay.
Eating healthy
Gut health is of crucial importance for overall health and mood. The saying that “you are what you eat” is also truer than it sounds at first, as healthy eating is one of the major pillars of good health. No matter how busy you are and no matter if you have some kind of weight goals, a proper diet is key to your well-being. For instance, weight loss meal prep can help you in that while not starving you and making sure you’re getting all the necessary nutrients. At the same time, even just starting to shop from the organic shelves at the supermarket is a big step.
In any case, what you have to keep in mind is to never skip breakfast – you can prepare something the night before if mornings are too hectic for that. Also, avoid resorting to fast food, say no to sugar cravings and instead make sure your diet consists of healthy fats, plenty of leafy greens, fruit and vegetable smoothies, whole grains and all the good stuff – the most important thing is that it’s home cooked as often as possible! Keeping track of what you eat is a good habit that will also make you feel confident.
Getting some exercise
A lot of people don’t like to hear this, but exercise is really crucial to your well-being. You don’t have to squeeze in several hour-long gym sessions into your weekly schedule – we understand that it can be difficult. But exercise is not only about going to the gym. You can do a whole routine at home with what you have at hand, or you can go jogging in the morning or walking in the afternoon instead as well. Not everyone is a gym rat but everyone can find an exercise that works for them if they look hard enough, so there are no excuses. Doing something outside will be good for your mental health as well.
Learning to say no
This is a flaw a lot of us have, especially those who tend to overwork themselves. If you too are guilty of never turning people down, you need to start prioritizing. You cannot possibly help out every single one of your colleagues while also helping your kids with homework, doing household chores and trying to get some sleep too. A day only has 24 hours so don’t take on more work than you can manage and feel free to say no if someone is asking you to do something that you don’t want to do. There are other people besides you who can surely do it instead. Moreover, you have to delegate household tasks in order to take some time for yourself. It’s always okay to ask a friend or relative, for instance, to watch your kids for an afternoon so that you can finally catch your breath.
Keeping your health in check
Among all the urgent tasks, we often forget to go to our regular checkups and we don’t find it urgent to make up for it as long as we don’t feel anything wrong. However, it’s always better to be safe than sorry, so even if it means missing one day at work, make sure you don’t skip your checkups. Knowing that you’re in top shape will give you peace of mind and you won’t have to stress yourself out unnecessarily. So don’t forget to go to the doctors’! Another regime that would help is by having a skincare routine. It is a great way to pamper your skin using products you love like a great cleansing face cream. By having time to pamper yourself, you make not only your skin feel refreshed but also your sense of wellbeing!
Getting enough sleep
Sleep is another one of those pillars that keep our well-being afloat. And we often don’t realize how important it is. If you are guilty of skipping sleep in order to catch up with some tasks, you are diminishing your own productivity for the next day – not to mention the long-term negative effects sleep deprivation can cause. Your immune system will also become more vulnerable and you’ll be more prone to stress, so not getting enough sleep can really start an avalanche that will leave you exhausted. Create a good bedtime routine that banishes technology and, above all, work-related things from the bedroom, read a little or listen to music, and make sure you get those 7-9 hours of sleep that your body needs. You will notice your mood and alertness improving!
Oftentimes, taking good care of ourselves sounds like a daunting task, simply because of the lack of time and the overwhelming obligations that leave no room for us to take some time for ourselves. However, there is really nothing more precious than your health and well-being, so sacrifices have to be made in order to create a healthy lifestyle that will benefit you down the road. It might sound impossible at first, but every mom should stick to these tips to keep strong!