Are you pushing yourself too hard, mom?
Children activities, Cleaning children,Cleaning dishes, Cleaning house,
Cooking meals, Feeding pets, Paying Bills,
Shopping for gifts, Shopping for groceries, Shopping for school supplies,
Taking children to Doctor, Work outside the home
Do you need more breaks?
As women it is so easy to fall into a frantic routine. If asked how she does it all, a woman will say, “you do what you have to do.”
Sometimes I wonder ho my mom did it all. She cooked, cleaned, maintained a beautiful home and maintained the yard as well. At one time we had a 3100 square foot home on 3 acres. We also had a pool. We had a variety of dogs and cats. Mom took care of it.
It is all I can manage to take care of a 1300 square foot home, a 65′ by 90′ city lot and two dogs. My house is always needing something. When I hear women say they get bored, I wonder how is that possible?
Do you need more breaks?
As women, we often neglect our own needs. It is hard. By the time we take care of everything else. We are tired. Do you ever sit down and want something and just sit there too tired to move? Some nights I am actually too tired to get up and go to bed. When I finally have the energy to go to bed, I take the dogs out one last time. I give them a going to bed cookie. I grab my things and shuffle to the bedroom. I may or may not have the energy to brush my teeth.
But then, I start thinking. What should I cook for tomorrow’s meals? I make lists in my head. And by 3 in the morning I am sound asleep. I am up at 6:30 and start all over. It takes me a couple of hours to wake up. By 8:30, that lack of sleep is hardly noticeable.
It seems to me that I am more tired than mom was. Maybe she hid it really well.
What to do?
Aside from getting help, remember that you can only do so much. Find some activities and friends to fill some of your time. Get out of your frantic life from time to time. Find at least 30 minutes, an hour is better, just for you. Take a walk. Meditate. Exercise at the gym. Go shopping. Be creative and take up some sort of art project. Play cards. Do nothing. I don’t know, but do something fun. What ever it is you do enjoy the time. No buts. If something does not get done, so what? If, when you go to bed at night, and that one thing did not get done, if it does not matter, then it was fine to not do it, right?
Listen, if you don’t take care of you, who will? If you don’t take time out for you, you will get so worn out that you will close your heart. Keep your heart open and be kind to you. You deserve it. Let the weary rest. If you don’t, you will run out of energy.
OK moms, take care.
Lisa Y. life coach
www.facebook.com/lisaylifecoach