What my doctor prescribed for a happy home.
A few years ago, I found myself struggling to keep my cool amidst the everyday ups and downs with kids. I discussed my situation with my doctor, and she had some very interesting tips to share. Before I share the tips for a happy home, I want to give you an idea of all that I had put on my plate.
Apart from the regular duties of a mom, I was (and still do) constantly trying to cook at home for the kids so I could incorporate nutrition and flavor into their meals. I also love sharing treats so I was baking regularly to share with school friends, their families, teachers and my neighbors. So I’d bake a batch of cookies e.g. and think why not bake an extra batch to share with that other friend as well since I haven’t shared anything with her in a while now.
My daughter was only three, with a newly discovered sense of independence that she was constantly trying to use. To top it all off, my son was extra slow getting ready for school every. single. morning! Needless to say, I was running short on patience and cool on a regular basis.
1. Only use half of what you have in your bank.
My doctor gave me a very interesting analogy. She said, your energy is like money you put in a bank. You have only so much you can use. You always need some left for yourself to help you cope with daily stress and struggles. So, only use half of the savings you have in your bank for everyone else and always leave the other half for yourself for a happy home and happier you.
She went on to explain, while it is a good practice to bake for others, if I do it too often, I’ll eventually use up more of my stores and leave too little in my bank for myself.
She suggested I reduce the frequency of my baking because I was using up more resources than I had in store that I needed for coping with everyday life
2. Look After Yourself
In the hustle of life, it’s so easy to forget about your own needs and comfort. My doctor insisted that I look after myself first. It’s not just desirable, it’s absolutely necessary because the health and well being of so many others depend on us. Ever heard of the ‘caregiver’s burnout’?
I personally have a list of things of TLC now. Getting a full night’s sleep is at the top. A shower, a mani/pedi or reading a book all help me relax. What works for you? Remember to share in the comments below.
Related Read: 5 Tips on How to Become a Morning Person
3. Do what you love.
This is a common truth that we all hear and acknowledge but very few of us practice. I was always of the thought that if I spent time on myself, I was being selfish.
My doctor corrected me. She made me make a list of ten things that I like to do. My list included card-making, sewing, crochet, working out and a date night with my husband. She then insisted I do each of these fun things at least once a week. What are some of the things that you like to do?
She explained, if you spend some quality ‘me-time’, it helps replenish your stores of energy. Something I desperately needed since I was using up so much of it and so often too.
It’s OK to have an off day.
After contemplating on my doctor’s advice for a long time, I’ve come to the conclusion that it is actually OK if we sometimes have a day off. While we want to always abide by the rules of the house that we’ve put in place, it’s OK to break them sometimes as long as it’s not very often.
When work is piling up, and the reserves of sanity running low, it’s OK to let the kids have some frozen or pre-packaged meal or even pizza night on a school night instead of cooking lasagna and using up your precious stores of energy that you know you’ll need later.
Why do we put ourselves under so much pressure? It doesn’t help anyone does it?
At the end of the day, what matters is how we utilize our very valuable savings.