DoThis To Snap Out Of Your Tired Mom Funk Today!

As a mom, we give so much of ourselves to our family that we often forget about ourselves.  Whether we are struggling with breastfeeding at night, working our way through a toddler tantrum or maybe even wondering what to wear, we need a breather!

I’m so happy to have Tanya Wheeless from Happy Grace guest post on how you can find you fun again.   Take it away, Tanya.

It’s easy to get lost in motherhood.

There are endless books to read, gadgets to buy, places to go and activities to do. So much that you forget what you read, bought, visited and did before that tiny, beautiful creature entered your life. You go from being Kate or Lindsay to being “Piper’s mommy” or “Brady’s mom.”

And, even though parenthood changes you in some of the most amazing ways, the you that existed before is still there. You still have desires, needs, dreams and preferences. You still need certain things to be the best version of yourself and yes, those things have absolutely nothing to do with your children.

If you don’t make your own health, happiness, and wellbeing a priority, then it’s pretty hard to be the mom I know you want to be.

So, let’s all agree that the absolute best thing we can do for our children and families is to fill our own tank!

Reconnect with Your Self

Here are four simple ways to reconnect with your essential self and keep your tank topped off.

Play

That’s right, play time for mama. Before you had kids I know you had something you loved to do in your free time. Maybe it was catching a movie with your girls, getting lost in a DIY project or getting your sweat on. If that lit you up then, it will light you up now. Make a playdate for yourself.

Connect

I’m talking real connection, with people you dig, that isn’t happening on Facebook and that doesn’t necessarily involve the parents of your children’s friends. Who is it that one person that leaves you feeling energized after you spend time with them? Get on that person’s  dance card. Could be an old college friend, a mom from your playgroup or your spouse.

Whoever it is, get on their calendar asap.

Mix it Up

Whether you have kids or not, it’s easy to get stuck in a rut, but variety is the spice of life. Take a new art class (live or from a site like Skillshare). Get a list of top 10 new restaurants and start checking them out. Learn about someone fascinating and inspiring by finding a great new podcast or audiobook. The options are endless and many can be easily integrated into your existing routine.

Listen to your body

If you’re hungry, eat. If you’re tired, sleep. If you’re sluggish, move. If you’re thirsty, drink. If someone drains your energy, quit hanging with them. Pretty basic stuff, but when we’re constantly worried about everyone else, we can forget to check-in with ourselves. The easiest way to do this is to stop, sit still, take five deep breaths and listen. Your body will tell you what it needs. Your job is to listen.

I know some of you are thinking, great in theory, but who has the time? Consider this: if your child’s teacher told you they were falling behind and needed to read to you for an hour a week, could you find the time? Pretty sure the answer is YES!

How do you magically find an extra few hours in the day?  Here’s the secret…

Make Extra Time for Your Self

We all get 24 hours in a day, what makes us different is how we spend them. Here are a few sure-fire ways to eek out some extra “you” time:

Barter

Team up with one of your friends with kids and offer to do a time swap. Once a month you take her kids for a couple of hours and once a month she takes your kids. Free and fabulous.

Bag it

Eliminate one thing from your schedule each week that isn’t essential. Volunteering is the bomb, but could you skip a week? I love a clean floor as much as the next gal, but if I went a few extra days between cleaning would anyone really notice? Doubtful.

Batch it

Doing things in batches is a total time-saver. Prep all of your meals for the week on Sunday. Bills, ugh! Pay them once a month, not as they come in. Bonus, set everything up on auto-pay. The upfront time will save you hours in the future.

Outsource

If you can swing it, this my absolute favorite. Is your sanity worth $50? Thought so. That could get you two prepared family meals, one afternoon of babysitting, a light housecleaning, someone to do your shopping for the week. Seriously, you can hire people to do almost anything for you.

Hopefully, that got your wheels turning and you’re ready to get back in touch with you, wonderful you.

Make yourself a priority. Reconnect with the you that was there before motherhood and will be there long after Madison and Jake are off to college. You’re worth it sister. Seriously.

Tanya Wheeless is the founder of Happy Grace and mom to ten-year-old Jake and two adorable puppies, Flash and Bolt. She is an expert traveler, online shopper and believes that every woman should shine. Connect with Tanya at www.happygrace.com or join her Facebook group for women who want less stress and more joy at www.facebook.com/groups/happygracelounge. 

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