Wanna steal the exact steps I am using to get back on track when my life took over and I forgot my self-care?
When I first start a new homeschool year I have GREAT plans.
I thought getting back to homeschooling would give me more structure and time in my life.
I was wrong.
Life had other ideas and I was just along for the ride.
As a mom, we have a ton of roles to fill.
You have:
- kids to teach
- lessons to plan
- kids to raise
- a house to run
- food to shop for and prepare
- Errands, appointments to schedule
- and the list goes on.
And some of us work as well.
And I did what most moms do when life flips over and takes us for a ride… I let go of the space I set aside for taking care of me.
But not for long.
I noticed in less than a week how bad I felt. Crazy, huh?
And I took my own advice: Identify the problem and take action to fix it.
Before I share 4 simple ways to get back on track when life takes over, I want to dig into the idea of self-care for homeschool moms.
Self-care is one of “those things”.
Quickly dismissed as not important. Quickly labelled as a luxury, enjoyed by those who have more time than we do.
Instead of the vital role it plays in our lives.
We hear it all the time. Over and over again. Moms need to make time for themselves.
It’s important. It’s vital. You nod along and agree.
Then you look at your life and think, “Later”.
Trust me I know.
Once upon a time, I returned to working full time out of the house while homeschooling my children.
My major mistake? Thinking nothing would change.
I thought I could still do all the things I used to do on top of a full week of work.
And I mean ALL THE THINGS. I never asked for help. I never made a plan. Because I could handle it.
Long story short, I hit burnout first and survival mode. Yes, they are both REAL.
But I could have prevented most of this had I had certain systems in place before entering the workforce AND made taking care of me a priority.
I learned that lesson the hard way but you don’t have too.
When I realized I had fallen into the trap of thinking self-care wasn’t needed, I quickly took action.
I want to share with you the 4 things I am doing to get back on track.
Here are a few ideas you can steal to get back on track and look after you!
- The past week I’ve gone back to meal planning because I wasn’t eating. I was “too busy” and skipping meals. Which in turn, made me run out of energy and feel like snot. Oh, and have I mentioned I get “hangry”? Um yeah, so much so my boss sends me to eat because I get a wee bit nasty. Not good. (lol!)
- After taking the 4 Week To Productivity Challenge from Crystal Paine, I started a morning routine. I struggled at first but this last week? I’ve been rocking it. 😉 Getting up early gives me a few minutes to drink my coffee in peace, cuddle with my furbabies and collect my thoughts for the day. Those 5 minutes are very well guarded. FYI: I totally don’t do the evening routine but I am working on it. One step at a time!
- I get up at 5:30 and hit the gym at 6 AM. That is a massive change for me. Do you know what happens when you stop working out and return?? PAIN! At this moment I can barely move and I’ve found muscles I forgot about. But moving again has helped clear my mind and has helped me deal emotionally with the ups and downs of life. I also make sure to get outside at least once a day. I walk one of my two dogs for about 15 minutes. Sometimes we go down the road and sometimes I walk circles in my yard. Nothing fancy!
- I started having fun again. I read for fun. I play with my kids. I cut out time in my daily schedule to have FUN.
As you can see my focus is self-care, finding why I feel like snot and fixing it.
Why?
Because it makes me happier AND a better mom, wife, and friend.
Get started with these 4 steps:
1. Stop waiting for the perfect time. It will never come. That crying baby turns into a toddler writing on the walls.
2. Be realistic and practical. When you have small kids, organized sports for you might be a problem. Brainstorm a list of things you CAN do now and do them. Try watching a quick show, reading a book for 15 minutes or hey, even that bubble bath may be heaven to you.
If you need ideas, check this list for 20 ideas that take 30 minutes or less.
3. Figure out what is missing in your self-care routine and take action to fix it. What do you need time for? Where can you fit that in? Make sure you block it out visually on your planner AND make it a priority.
4. Keep it simple. Start small. I started with meal planning first because I knew it would be the easiest to fix for me! And the most vital on my list. I created these fall meal planning sheets to help you get started <3
Tell me, are you looking after you? Please don’t wait. Take action!
Take care,
Jen
Bio: Hi, I’m Jen. I help working parents balance work and homeschooling by providing encouragement, support, and inspiration. You are warmly invited to Join the Online Community Here!
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