This past week was such a bad mental health week for me. I felt so overwhelmed everyday and like I was getting nothing done. My To-do list was keeping me up at night but the next day I still felt unmotivated to work on it. That whole week was so frustrating but I decided that I couldn’t allow myself to stay in that funk. I took time to pinpoint the stresses of my anxiety so I could try to get ahead of it for the following. So I put together a list of a few simple ways I’m combating my anxiety each day.
Tidy Up Each Day
I know that keeping a clean home almost feels futile when you have children, especially little ones, but I find that it reduces my anxiety so much! Waking up to a tidy home just sets the to the tone for the day and makes you feel as if you’re stepping into a clean slate!
Last week I felt like I was drowning in housework. I couldn’t keep up with it no matter how hard I tried. Some days or weeks housework will get away from you and that’s okay but if you’re feeling super overwhelmed try cleaning up the area around you and watch how it affects your mood. I’ve been making it a point to make sure we tidy up each space once we leave it (which mainly consists of putting away toys in every area of my house). This way we are constantly walking into tidy areas and clear visual spaces help my mood a bunch! It’s also getting my son in the habit of putting things away which I love.
Move Your Body
I highly recommend waking up before your kids and making time for yourself before they get up. My morning “Me Time” has always been working out but lately it hasn’t been possible because I haven’t been sleeping well. I can easily tell the difference in my mood on days where I haven’t worked out and I could see that it was affecting my mood toward my husband and children. So I decided not to stronghold myself into one idea of being active.
If you can’t make time to get in an uninterrupted workout then take a walk with the kids, have a dance party or play an extra long game of tag. Moving your body is so important to relieving anxiety and stress and it’s something we can easily fit into our daily routine when we don’t put fitness into a rigid category.
Prioritize Your Hygiene
Now this sounds like a no brainer but let’s be honest for a second. There have been days as a mom where you’ve been so overwhelmed that you haven’t showered, done your hair or even brushed your teeth. (It gets like that sometimes). And on those days you most likely feel like the worst version of yourself! I know I do.
I made a promise to myself that I would make it a priority to get myself ready each day. I’m not talking red carpet ready but at the bare minimum I would freshen up and make myself presentable. This seriously makes all the difference for me because I feel more like myself and less rundown. (Yes, my mom style is somewhere between runway and rundown.) Because Lord knows as much as a shower shouldn’t be a luxury few things can compete with a hot shower at the end of a long day of surviving motherhood.
Create A Top 3 On Your To-do List
One of the things that helps me so much with my anxiety is list making. Getting all of my thoughts and tasks down on paper helps me organize my thoughts and clears my mind. I always tell my husband that I have too many tabs open in my brain and making lists helps me close some of them.
However, lately even my To-do lists have been overwhelming me. Having two babies to care for seems like never ending work and with my oldest looking to start Pre-K and other activities it’s getting hard for me to keep up. So I’ve decided to start a “Top 3” on my list each day. Three things that I need to prioritize over anything else. If I get those 3 done I feel accomplished for the day, even if my other tasks get pushed into the next day.
Have An Adult Conversation
Now I don’t mean adult in terms of the context of the conversation but by all means, do you! But I do find it important to make time to chat with another person your own age each day. My brain is fried after arguing with a toddler and deciphering baby gibberish all day and most days I want nothing more to crack jokes, vent and laugh with my girlfriends or my husband. It is such a stress reliever to chat with someone about your day so make it a point to reach out to a friend over the phone or plan a play date.
What are some ways that you relieve or avoid stress each day?
Winging It 