Over the past few months, we’ve used this blog to dole out a lot of advice.
How to help kids deal with the death of a family pet. How to engage kids in conversation. How to get children to share. How to make sure they eat healthy snacks.
But today is all about you. You’ve taken care of your children, but are you taking care of yourself?
That’s why we’ve put together this blog post, to offer some things you can do – whether it’s devoting part of your day to outdoor time or eating better – to take care of yourself.
1. Think About What You’re Eating
“I’d save time if I ate lunch at my desk,” you say to yourself, and you’re correct. You’ll give yourself more time, but to what end? Enjoy the experience of a meal without any distractions. Eat lunch with your colleagues at work, and sit down for dinner with your family.
Indulge in the foods you love once a day, whether that means a little dessert or a glass of wine, while still taking care to eat plenty of fruits and vegetables. Keep your digestive system happy with fiber, which you’ll find in fruits and veggies, as well as whole grains such as oatmeal.
2. Move Around
Regular exercise releases endorphins, which make us feel better while also keeping our hearts, lungs and immune systems healthy.
Are you looking for ways to work out but don’t have time to get to the gym? Parents magazine recommends these exercises you can do at the playground. Get a workout while enjoying some outdoor time with your kids.
The slide lunge
Face away from the slide, and rest your left foot on the bottom of it with your hands on your hips. Bend your right knee until your right thigh is almost parallel to the ground, but don’t let your knee move farther forward than above your toes. Do this 12-15 times, and then repeat with your right leg.
Bench dip
Sit on a bench and grab the edge with your hands, shoulder-width apart. Scoot off the bench with your legs extended in front of you, bending your knees slightly. Bend your elbows and lower your butt a few inches, keeping your back close to the bench. Raise yourself back up, completing 12-15 reps.
Swing crisscross
Use the wooden or vinyl swing set in your backyard for this exercise. Sit on a swing, hold the chains, and lean back about 45 degrees. Keep your legs extended in front of you with your feet together, toes pointed out.
Cross your left calf over your right, contracting your core muscles to keep the swing as still as you can. Uncross your legs, then cross the right calf over your left to complete the set. Again, do this 12-15 times.
3. Get Enough Sleep
We need seven to eight hours of sleep a night to be our best. Get to bed early and let yourself unwind. Read a book, and not on a tablet. Staring at a screen keeps your brain hyped up.
4. Spend Time Doing What You Love
Give yourself time each day to do something you enjoy, whether that means reading during lunch, playing a musical instrument or a game or engaging in an art project.
5. Be Kind To Your Inner Child
What were the things you enjoyed as a child? Chances are you still might like them, so why not treat yourself? Make some hot chocolate with marshmallows, draw on the sidewalk with some chalk, or swing on the wooden swing set in your backyard. (Note: Your kids may ask to take part in these activities.)
6. Unplug Yourself
We love how Facebook lets us stay in touch with friends who are too busy – or live too far away – for regular in person contact. Still, social media can be exhausting. It can be hard to read an endless parade of political opinions, and harder still to see people trumpet their successes at a time when you might be struggling. So, just unplug for a day, and enjoy the world offline.
7. Keep Track Of Your Successes
You might keep a “to-do” list, but do you have a “I’ve done” list? There’s something to be said for noting your accomplishments. At the end of each day, make a list – either in your head or written down – of everything you got done that day, big and small.
We hope you’ll use at least some of the tips on this list the next time you want to take some time for yourself. Enjoy!
