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Avoiding Burnout: 8 Surefire Ways to Get Your Energy Back |
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by jenlemen  (October 2006) (rank 17th) |
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It's hard to overestimate the amount of energy that goes into raising children. The ultimate 24/7 job, parenting can often be stress-producing and tiring, no matter how much joy and delight our children bring us. Assuming our needs come in last, we wait too long to give ourselves the care
we need to be our best for ourselves and our children as well. Here are eight tips to help you recharge and avoid parenting burnout:
- Call it a night. Give the evening chores a rest and turn in early with your little ones. Going to bed early helps you build up your energy reserves and pay back your sleep deficit. Even two or three nights of turning in early will increase your ability to be the kind of parent you want to be. If your kids still require nighttime parenting, adding a few extra hours at the beginning of the night will offset the sleep you lose later on in the night.
- Give it a soak. Set your little ones up with snacks and a movie, and get the hot water running in the tub. Even fifteen minutes of silence behind closed doors will renew your spirit and refresh your body. Spend the little bit extra at the grocery store for a nice shower gel or simple body lotion. Stealing even short bits of time for a long shower or a short soak in the tub can refresh your spirit and give yourself a chance to show your body some much needed care.
- Turn up the music. Ban the kid music from the car, and insist on your favorite tunes. Choose music from the happiest era of your life and pump up the volume. Using itunes or another online service, you can download songs that capture this moment in your history. Let this music be the soundtrack that keeps you going.
- Savor some silence. Set the alarm for 15 minutes before your littlest wakes up to sit in a quiet kitchen and listen to the sound of your own breath. Consider the people who have loved you wholeheartedly--maybe your partner, your parents or a dear friend. Breathe in that support, encouragement and love. With each exhale, imagine yourself letting go of frustration and irritation over little things. In your quietest moment, open your heart to the possibility that you can have more practical support for your everyday tasks.
- Pare down. On a blank sheet of paper, make a list of your current responsibilities in and outside your home. Ask yourself where you can begin to say no in order to say yes to yourself. Gather your courage and begin the process of shedding everything but the absolute essentials. As you begin each new week, you might find the need to revisit your list and say no yet again.
- Laugh it up. Make a conscious effort to feed your soul the funniest, most delightful content. Prioritize friends that make you laugh outloud, and jump at every opportunity to be your most playful self. Steer clear of dramas; now is the time to for comedy and stories that brighten your spirits.
- Give yourself a break. Often times we burn out as parents because we're afraid to let our children feel their own growing pains. It's okay to let our school-aged kids struggle to master the essentials of growing up--like learning how to pick up after themselves or figuring out how to be ready for school on-time. Consider where you can take a step back and let your kids be more responsible. Baby steps now will yield big returns sooner than you think.
- Baby yourself. Think about the life of your baby and follow suit. Babies catnap, snack, snuggle and sometimes even sleep in the arms of the person they love the most. Housework? What's that? Treat yourself to every baby luxury you can imagine. Don't be afraid to holler--whatever stopped your wee ones?--if you need a little extra support. Sometimes we need the very thing we are giving away freely.
