When was the last time you took a few minutes for yourself? Like, actually taking time to sit and think about the week ahead and how you would like to handle it? If you can’t remember, then maybe it’s time to make finding reset time during your week a priority.
Moms are busy people. Most days it feels like we are running from the moment we wake up to the moment we go to bed. Even on slower days, there are always chores, meals, errands, and keeping the kiddos engaged, cared for, and, if we’re lucky, happy. It’s exhausting. Add to that jobs and other responsibilities that exist outside of the family, and it’s a recipe for total burnout.
When you blindly fall into your schedule and try to make everything work while not really having a plan, you’ll end up wasting lots of time and energy that you don’t have to spare.
Burnout happens when we overextend ourselves without allowing for times of rest. For some, it manifests as depression, for others they might get sick. Many feel it in an utter lack of energy or motivation to do anything. This is why making time to reset is so important. When you blindly fall into your schedule and try to make everything work while not really having a plan, you’ll end up wasting lots of time and energy that you don’t have to spare.
Finding that golden moment
If you’re arent in the habit of finding time to plan your week, it feels selfish to even think about it. Do it anyway. Make time at least once a week to reset. It doesn’t need to be something elaborate, just an hour to take a look at the way things are going and to think about the days to come. It might be something as easy as taking a walk all by yourself. It might be taking a drive. It might be making yourself a nice drink and hiding away in a cozy spot while the kiddos are watching a favorite movie.
This time is yours to do all the planning and thinking that is usually too frustrating to do when you are multitasking. While you’re at it, be sure to find times that you can do things that bring you joy – like watching that show that no one wants to watch with you.
Knowing is half the battle
I’m one of those people who gets easily overwhelmed when I don’t have clarity. Managing my day-to-day task list is essential to maintaining my calm and ensuring that I don’t forget important things. Are there still days when I struggle with getting things done? Absolutely. But, the better I plan, the better I can learn what my specific overwhelm triggers are. I recently learned that if I have an activity in the evening that I’ve never done before, or it has elements that I’m unsure about, it will be harder for me to get my list done during the day. It’s like I’m pre-worrying about what might happen instead of dealing with situations as they present themselves. But, because I know that, I can give myself a little more grace on those days and reduce my workload because of it, instead of trying to push through.
Discussion question: What kind of planner are you? Do you have a written to-do list, or do you do things as you remember them?
