As a mom, your days are often filled with non-stop activities for your family. With work and family responsibilities, it can be difficult to find time to unwind and relax. However, making time for yourself and taking care of your mental health regularly can help you to be better and more present mothers. Incorporating relaxation and mindfulness activities such as meditation into your daily routines can help you to be more centered and less stressed, which can not only affect your attitude but also your family’s attitude. Here are five ways to help you relax and recharge during your hectic weeks:
Schedule a spa day
A spa day is a great way to treat yourself but also escape the daily stressors of your everyday life. Scheduling a spa day can be a nice luxury that can help you recharge. Check out sites such as Groupon to get great deals on local spas in your area. You do not even necessarily have to go to a fancy spa to achieve a relaxing, beauty day. Creating a home spa day is a cheaper and easy alternative that can keep you in the comfort of your own home. Get some essential oils to incorporate into a luxurious bath and pick your favorite face mask to help give your skin some extra care.
Create a meditation space
While a spa day might be a nice treat to help you to unwind, creating a home meditation space is a good way to incorporate relaxation and meditation into your everyday routine. Find a place in your home that you can keep a kid-free zone and set up an area specifically just for your meditation practice. Decorate this special space with reminders of staying stress-free such as crystals, prints with mantras, or plants. Incorporating these elements into your meditation space helps to clear your mind and helps bring you more focus.
Enjoy the outdoors
Although relaxing and meditating at home can be a great way to clear your head, sometimes we just need to get out of our comfort zones to feel more relaxed. Being outdoors can help reduce stress and has many more benefits such as exercise and increased brain function. Going on a hike with friends or alone is great exercise that also allows you to experience nature along the way. Even just spending some alone time at the beach with a good book can help uplift your mood and decrease stress.
Take up journaling
If you are feeling overwhelmed or feeling like stress might be building up, it might be a good idea to start journaling. Writing down your thoughts and frustrations is a great way to reflect and release those thoughts from your mind. Studies have shown that journaling has many mental health benefits to help combat stress and anxiety. Writing down your daily activities is also a great way to document memories of your family. Journaling might not even necessarily mean writing something down. If you prefer a more artistic route, consider creating an art journal instead. It can be a space to record your ideas for new pieces or a journal filled with small works such as drawings or paintings.
Get physical
Exercise is often cited as a great way to relieve stress and relax. Exercising regularly can help increase your feel-good endorphins and make you a happier and healthier mommy. The hardest part about exercising is making time for it. Schedule your workouts into your week just like you would a doctor’s appointment or other commitments. Also consider workouts your whole family can do with you such as going on a run or bike ride together. Prioritizing exercise can also show your children the importance of both physical and mental health.
Being a mom is both a stressful and rewarding experience. Incorporating even just one of these relaxation activities into your daily routine can help make the experience more rewarding than stressful. Remember, kids learn their most important lessons from their parents, so a relaxed and present mother brings about relaxed and present children.
Photo Credits
All photos from Shuterstock
Guest Author Bio
Amy Williams
Amy Williams is a free-lance journalist based in Southern California and mother of two. As a parent, she enjoys spreading the word on positive parenting techniques in the digital age and raising awareness on issues like cyberbullying and online safety.
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