From making sure the kids eat healthy to handling school applications and more, there is a lot that parents are expected to handle. That’s not even mentioning all the daily tasks involved in keeping a house in order and making sure the child is doing well at school. While to a certain extent all of these duties are part of the adventure of being a parent, looking after a child and making sure they are thriving can also be exhausting work.
The fatigue and stress that are often the result of being an overworked parent can be dangerous if not managed. It can lead to negative consequences to both the mental and physical health of the parent in question. Here are some self-care tips that can help overworked stay afloat while handling the pressures of everyday life.
1 - Meditation
Meditation comes up a lot in self-care discussions, and there’s a reason for it. You just can’t beat the convenience of being able to close your eyes at any time of the day and will instantly calm down a notch. The only real downside of meditation is that it does have an initial learning curve. If you have tried and failed to clear your mind and meditate in the past, try looking up some guided meditation videos.
The process is akin to trying to move a muscle you didn’t know existed. It’ll be a little awkward at first, but once you get a grasp of what meditation feels like, entering that state again will be much easier. Even if you can only clear your mind for a few seconds at first.
2 - Know where help is
It’s not uncommon for parents to feel like they need to handle everything themselves. Especially if their partners work so that they can stay at home and watch the children. And it is good to be active in looking after your kids, but it’s also wise to keep track of any help you may have access to. Whether it be local nannies you can afford or relatives who can come over and help.
That’s because there will always be that one week when you are physically and emotionally drained and everything feels overwhelming. That one week where you desperately need a break. And if you prepared a shortlist of emergency contacts ahead of time, you’re much more likely to contact those people when things get overwhelming.
3 - Pace yourself
The grind of everyday life can start feeling like it's endless if you are not careful. It can be useful to break down what tasks you need to do every day so you can keep track of your progress and actually see the amount of work to be done get smaller. This can also help you keep track of what needs to be done daily and what you can postpone or approach differently.
4 - Find time for yourself
When you are stressed and overworked, getting some alone time to gather your thoughts can be incredibly relaxing. Especially if you are naturally an introvert. Keep an eye out for chances to be alone and relax, and see if you can work with your relatives and your partner to give yourself a night off at least once a week.
It may also be wise to get a few hobbies you can enjoy indoors, as that makes it much easier to do fun things without having to find someone to look after the kids. So try a new instrument, look up a kombucha recipe and start fermenting foods for fun, or maybe start an indoor garden. Whatever helps you relax.
Author, freelance writer