As moms, we always hear this but we also tend to forget it. We need to take care of ourselves first in order to take care of others. If 2020 has taught me anything, it’s to give myself grace, and that it is okay to take a break. So much so, that I did not even make any new year resolutions for 2021. Instead, I’m going to continue to do the best I can in the following ways.
Reprioritize
Our world turned upside down last year. Now, most of us are juggling Zoom calls and WebEx meetings, working from home, having kids in virtual school, wearing masks at all times, and dealing with a lot of uncertainty. That is super stressful, y’all!
I definitely had to take a deep breath last spring and a hard look at everything. I took a step back to prioritize what I thought was best for me and my family. That meant I reduced my time commitments to other things, said no to new asks, and created space that allowed me to do the things I needed to do well, instead of being pulled in so many directions. This definitely reduced my anxiety to try to complete all the tasks on my daily list, and determine what was important for me.
Simplify Tasks
With that said, sometimes we can’t do it all as mamas, and that’s ok! It’s okay if the house isn’t clean every day. It’s okay to decide you don’t have the energy to cook so you order and pickup food (or even have it delivered!). I’d much rather order food, eat off of paper plates and enjoy more time with my kids than worry about figuring out what to make, going to the store, cooking, and cleaning. That saves me time and energy and allows me to take a break.
Give Yourself Grace
With all the new added stress, don’t worry about the other things that used to stress you out. If that means giving the kids more screen time when you need a break, do it. Didn’t eat perfectly one day, it’s fine! Never changed out of your sweatpants all day while you worked from home? Awesome – I do the same! Don’t like what’s on the news, social media or other outlets? Turn it off! So many things that used to bother me have become insignificant. Focus on the important things and the good things.
Get Creative with Family Time
So, pre-2020, my kids and I loved going places. Whether we went to Soda City Market, Riverbanks Zoo, other local events or even road trips, we liked exploring and going to new events and finding family activities to do. And while places are open to visit and have socially distanced protocols, everyone has a different comfort level of doing things. We’ve had to readjust our family time to do more at home.
Santa just brought the kids skateboards so they are working on learning how to use those. I’ve stocked up on family board games and puzzles so everyone can play. My five year old enjoys Yeti in My Spaghetti, which the older kids and I can play too. The older tweens are loving What do you Meme (Family Edition) and Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza.
Work on Yourself
Lastly, Don’t forget to self-care! I have so many books that I have purchased in the past year that I haven’t made time to read. I’m definitely getting on that. I also bought a lettering book as a hobby to learn, and ended up putting it aside because life got busy. So I’ll be working on that this year as well.
Despite all the bad last year, I also learned to take some time to breathe again and appreciate the “little things.” Carve out some time for yourself to binge new shows on Netflix (dare I say Bridgerton), take bubble baths, or go for a run! Find things that you enjoy and don’t feel guilty taking time for you.
How are you taking care of yourself in 2021?
