You are a super Mom, with so many things to do; therefore, you often forget to book a hair appointment for yourself let alone find new ways to relieve a bit of that pressure. When you are looking after children, trying to run a household, potentially have a career and also maintain close friendships, it can feel like you are up against a whole load of tasks that are gradually falling from their enormous pile and crushing you. Being able to step back and catch a breather is not easy, especially if you are constantly reacting to new problems and dilemmas. Follow these simple tips and see if you can release some of that pressure.
Get Organized
If you haven’t already, get a physical family calendar and put it in a place everybody can see. Use a color key so everyone can see what activities they are doing on any day easily and without too much thought. A calendar means everyone knows what everyone else is doing too, a great way to stop arguments. If you want to take it one step further, use Google to put your important dates online and make sure everybody has access to the family calendar.
Start a Family WhatsApp Group
A simple tip but a good one, a family WhatsApp group can be the difference between everybody turning up on time and half of the family claiming that they forgot. If your children don’t have smart phones yet, and you are nervous about getting them one, think about getting one only for when they go out of the house. It’s good to be able to get in touch with them directly wherever they are.
Get Used to Saying ‘No’
If you are finding yourself too stretched for time, and not able to juggle all of the responsibilities you do have, start getting better at saying a flat no. Whether it’s to another parent who wants their kid to come round to your house or to your boss who keeps stacking too much on you, saying ‘no’ can relieve you of your stress. Assert yourself, establish firm boundaries. You might find it saves you a whole lot of time and hassle.
Encourage Kids to Take Some Responsibility
As our children grow and develop, it is easy to overprotect them from the adult world of responsibility. Obviously, you’re probably not going to get them paying utility bills, but you can get them to look after the things that they do have. Maybe they are always losing or breaking their cell phone? Allow them to get a new case for it from Custom Envy, by allowing them to design it themselves they might be inspired to use it more. If they are still damaging their phone, get them to work off the money it cost to replace it. Teach them about the value of items with work, and ease yourself a little stress and heartache.
Make a Strict Budget
Even if you are lucky enough to have a large amount of disposable income, knowing how much you have coming in and out and when it does so is hugely important to staying on top of things. In a budget template, put all of the information about what bills you pay and when and make sure you stick to it. Late payment fees are not very fun and could have a negative impact on your credit score. Keep all of your financial information stored in one, handy place and make sure you know where the important things are at all times.
Form Good Relationships with Other Mom’s
This really is key, as putting effort into making relationships with other parents at your child’s school will help you in the long run. If you have the attitude that you already have enough friends, consider that an ally at the gates could offer more than just emotional support. It might transpire that you could share lifts, for example, which would be really great.
Make Space For One on One Time
To get the most out of your relationships with each family member, whether it is a spouse or your child, you must invest the time to spend together alone. It’s easy to think we are too busy for this kind of thing, but allowing a gulf between you to grow is only going to cause more heartache in the long run and ultimately, cause you more stress. There’s no point in putting your all into being a Mom if you can’t enjoy each other’s company.
Get a Good Sitter
A great sitter that you can trust and rely upon is hard to come by, but put the effort in right now, and you will reap the rewards in a few months when you need a night out, and there’s nobody to help. Don’t rely overly on family members for childcare support, it can cause tension and they might be outdated in their parenting skills. If you can’t find anyone that you like, don’t worry the right person will inevitably come along soon. Talk to your friends and see who they use, you might be able to share.
Have Something That’s ‘Mine’
A hobby or a pastime that is only yours is a great way to get space from your family and reinforce your identity beyond the role of Mom. Whether it is starting a new yoga class, learning a language, or just going for a run alone in the morning, a bit of space from your wonderful bunch is important to appreciate them as much as possible. One of the main problems of being a Mom is that your whole life becomes taken over by the wants and needs of your children and other half; therefore, to make sure resentments don’t start to build, get that time away right now.
Blow Off Steam
Unlike me time, blowing off steam can involve your whole family. Whether it’s going out to the Superbowl or a soccer game, or having a big meal at the local Italian, having fun together will make you closer in the long run and save you having to pick up the pieces. You will release a bit of your own stress, and seeing the family enjoying themselves is sure to make you feel rewarded, and like all your hard work has somehow paid off.