Parenting comes with its huge list of responsibilities and adding to that regular chore, is every ingredient in your daily schedule to keep you brim-filled-busy. But you have to remember: there are only 24 hours in a day and each hour only has 60 minutes! Cramming all those hours with too many tasks can have negative repercussions. Your tension (to complete a long list of tasks) will show in your frustration and that will not augur well for the children. Frustrated and overworked mothers inevitably have a cranky baby! While busy parents desire their days to pass like an idle afternoon at the beach-side, they instead spend their days running a marathon against the ticking clock! And sooner than you can imagine, days have turned into weeks and weeks into months. And with the same fast-paced routine of every day, you would logically get exhausted and frustrated with life!
If you are able to relate to all these problems, then we have the right remedy for you. No, we would not work any magic whereby a 24 hour day has some extra hours! We would just give you some great ideas to slow down and recharge your batteries. Interested? Then read on:
Tip #1: Remind yourself of the Intention
Each day comes with a long list of tasks and many of these are essential for the well-being of the baby and your family. Hence, it is important to separate the absolutely unavoidable tasks for the day, and ones which could be delayed for some time. By trimming the task list for the day, you will gain some downtime. Slating some time for yourself, in the daily task list, is as important as all the other unavoidable tasks. Children should be coached on the importance of not disturbing you during this downtime. When you are relaxing, they should not run around or make noises. You can use this relaxation time, at alternate intervals, to take a deep breath and get back the much-desired energy.
Tip #2: Set the Tone
Your downtimes should be treated as a special part of the day. And you should celebrate them with some prior preparations. Switch off the television, play a soft music in the background, turn off all the electronic appliances (washing machine, dryer, dishwasher, etc.) so that you have no noise around. You may also light some sweet-smelling incense sticks. If lighting a candle won’t cause any safety concerns for the children, then you can switch off the lights and enjoy the sombre ambience of a candlelit room.
Tip #3: Disconnect yourself
There should be no interruptions to your relaxation time. You may switch off the mobile or not answer any calls. Don’t even answer the doorbell, your children can open the door in the meanwhile. This is the time when you completely disconnect yourself from the outside world and rather focus on yourself!
Tip #4: Take the Lead and Children will follow
Children like to follow their parents and their acts. So, when you are hurrying up all day around them, they are also in a hurry (aptly exhibited in their non-stop running around). But when you slow down and sit idle, you will find them ceasing all their activities and joining you in the leisurely interval. You cannot have this experience unless you try it firsthand!
Tip #5: Make good use of Child’s nap time
Do not waste the children’s nap time in finishing off some of the homely chores from your to-do list. Use this time to spend some time your own way. Whether you like reading, writing, drawing, listening to music or have any other hobbies, this is the time to engage in things that you like. With the child not there to disturb, you can have a truly relaxing experience of doing something that you love.
Tip #6: Start Early
So, when are you going to finish off those homely chores? The simple solution to this is to wake up early in the morning. You can achieve a lot by waking up at least an hour before everyone else. This early start allows you to plan out the day effectively and manage all tasks without any tension. You can easily compensate for the loss of sleeping time, by taking a short nap in the afternoon.
Tip #7: Laze it through
There are many families who use the afternoon tea and snacks time to participate in some quiet activity. You can ask the children to draw, read story books or play a board game while you look out of the window and enjoy the outside view and sound of chirping birds. This peaceful break will help you recollect many memories and shed off some tension.
Tip #8: Limit your shop visits
Many parents are in the habit of visiting the grocery store every day to meet their daily needs. This is wastage of time and energy, which you can well avoid with a bit of planning. A wise idea would be to sit down over the weekend and make a list of all the required items at one go. Purchase all these with a single visit to the grocery store and this will vacate some time from the everyday schedule that you may use to unwind.
Tip #9: Pajama Days
Once or twice a month, you should spend a weekend with nothing to do and no travelling at all. These are days when you spend all day in your Pajamas (and thus the name), with nothing significant to do. You can use the day to spend a lot of idle time with your family.
You should always remember: you are the sun around which your children and the household revolve like the planets. If you lack energy or stay frustrated then nothing can be perfect! So, you need your own time and that can be achieved by slowing down. Even if that means shrugging off some responsibilities! Hope you liked our list of ideas and that it helps you gain some me-time!
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