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Mums know best, as we all know, but the pressure of knowing it all (ALL of the time) can take its toll.
Even the most accomplished of mothers knows that parenting is a marathon, not a sprint.
It’s important to take regular breaks to recharge, stay hydrated and give yourself a little motivational talking-to every now and then.
Here are five ways to stay calm, cool and collected when you’re feeling overwhelmed or run down:
Stop and smell the roses (literally)
Travelling anywhere with a small child in tow is a challenge in itself. Throw in a deadline and it can quickly go from tricky to impossible. Kids don’t put the same importance on schedules as grown-ups do, so demanding that they continue apace with an adult’s itinerary is a big ask. Instead of pleading with them to ‘hurry, hurry, hurry!’, try taking a step back every now and then, even if it means you’ll be late for that next appointment. If it’s not a life or death situation, letting them pet the dog or smell a flower in someone’s garden isn’t going to have any repercussions in the long run.
Assess how you’re really feeling
When we’re stressed, the body pumps out the ‘fight or flight’ hormone cortisol. This is great if you’re, say, escaping from a bear, but excess cortisol can lead to weight gain (generally around your middle) and insomnia, which exacerbates the problem. Once a week, take stock of how you’re feeling emotionally and physically.
Drinking too much caffeine also stimulates cortisol production so try a decaf once in a while or switch to green tea.
Make sleep a priority
Here’s a fact about motherhood: Sometimes it’s better for everyone to leave the house in wrinkly clothes than to stay up until 2am ironing them. Parents who are rested and firing on all cylinders are better equipped for whatever the day brings. Once bedtime rolls around and those little heads have hit the pillows, treat every leftover chore with a ‘does that really need doing NOW?’ attitude and sink between the sheets yourself.
Get off the hamster wheel
If your family’s crazy schedule of sports and extra-curricular activities has turned you into a sleep-walking taxi driver, take a step back and take stock. It’s easy to let the family calendar control you, but good sense tells us it should be the other way around. Editing those club meets and play dates can leave you with time to do nothing; it’s not a crime to read a magazine while the kids build Lego on a Saturday.
Delegate (and learn how to say no)
Do you find yourself carpooling a little more than other mums and dads? Are you always at the side of the GAA pitch or erecting tents with the scouts? Ask yourself if maybe you’ve taken on too much and then think about delegating the odd outing or task to your partner or a willing family member. For instance, maybe Nana might like to take her granddaughter to ballet every Tuesday, or Uncle Jim might relish coaching the Under Sevens rugby? You never know until you ask. In the meantime, stop volunteering for every raffle and bake sale.
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