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Sound Familiar?
You wake up before the sun. You are so tired it hurts. Maybe you’ve already hit the snooze button three too many times. You eventually roll out of bed and strategize how you can get everything done in the next 45 minutes. You rush to get ready, quickly throw several items in your lunch box to make a “lunch”, and take your breakfast and coffee with you to enjoy in the car.
Cortisol. Nothing but cortisol.
Self Care Vs. Caring for Yourself
When you hear “self care” what do you think about? Do you think about taking a long bath with a face mask? Not setting an alarm so you can sleep in on Saturday morning? Getting a coffee WITH the whipped cream before browsing around your favorite store? Taking a walk before work in the morning so you can get some sunshine? These are all beautiful things. Some of my favorites, actually.
For me, my self-care activities have been categorized as rewards in my mind. I think, “I just need to get through this long day of work and then I can enjoy a bath after the little one is down”. Or “When I finish the laundry, then I can watch my favorite show”.
Mind if I invite you to think about this a different way?
It has changed my entire perspective of what taking care of myself looks like in the midst of this season of being a working momma.
What if taking care of yourself looks a little less like an activity you can’t wait to get to and more like the lense through which you live moment-to-moment. Self-care as self-value. Taking care of yourself so you can be the best momma, wife, friend, and employee.
Little tweaks can be quite profound in your day-to-day.
Let me walk you through a typical work day for me. I wake up and immediately turn on music that will put a smile on my face. I grab my red light and spend the next 12 minutes soaking up the warmth while I hydrate. When my time is up I either do some stretching/ gentle yoga or journaling.
Things to highlight:
The first 30 minutes of your day sets the tone for the rest of the day.
It is okay to cluster self-care activities. Sometimes you need to maximize time, and there is a way! Fill your day with the little things that make you so so happy. If it puts a smile on your face, it is worth the extra moment to grab the thing or go to the place that will fill your cup. No, it’s not extra. It is the discipline of finding the joys in life.
For me, this looks like sitting under my red light and hydrating while I pray/ meditate. In just 10 minutes I can cross off three self-care activities. Imagine what is possible in 30 minutes. It has changed everything for me.
I personally have been using the Lumebox Red Light going on TWO YEARS now! I absolutely love it so much. Skin health? Check. Improving circulation for my Reynolds’s? Check. Mitigating sore throats? Check. Pulled muscle? Check.
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Make a plan the night before
Have as much prepped the night before so all you will need to do is spend time with you! Plan what activities you want to do so you aren’t spending the first 15 minutes trying to decide what you would like to do.
Know how much time you need to get ready without feeling rushed
What would totally undo your relaxing, self-care morning is still rushing to get ready after your slow start to the morning, For me, I know I need a good 30 minutes to get dressed and do my makeup. Since I don’t want to be rushed, I allow an extra 10-15 minutes to get ready. This looks like me listening to music or a podcast while I take the occasional sip of my coffee.
To mitigate rushing, I set my alarm with ample time to get ready. I even charge my phone on the opposite side of the room so I HAVE TO get up. The beauty in this way of living is found in how it makes you feel. I look forward to my mornings. I am excited to get up even though I am not clicking my heels to go to work.
Give it a try!!
A good morning starts with a productive night time routine
Allow me to walk you through a few options.
Option 1: You get home from work, quickly make dinner, and clean the kitchen. Before you know it, it is bath time, play time, and bed time for the littles. Finally. Time to do something for you. You change out of your work clothes. You ask yourself, “what should I do tonight?”. After a good 15 minutes of scrolling on your phone to “catch up”, you think about a few options. Maybe you could take a bath or do some reading. You can’t decide. In a blink of an eye you’ve been on your phone for over an hour and it is already time for bed. You still really want to do something, so you decide to watch your favorite show. Maybe the bath can wait for the weekend. Another hour goes by. Now it is really late. You hurry to get ready for bed, set your alarm, and hit the pillow.
Option 2: During your quiet morning time, you made a plan with yourself that when you get home you will take a bath, while you read and drink tea. Even if it is just for 15 minutes. You get home and start on dinner. You put your phone on silent and keep it in the other room. There’s music and laughing though it’s chaotic and you’re tired. You get the little ones ready for bed. BOOM. It is go time. You draw the bath, brew the tea, and even grab a few snacks to enjoy as you read your book in the bath (again- it is fun to cluster self-care activities). After your bath you are feeling very relaxed. You think, “wow it is only 9 pm! If I went to bed now I would get a full 8 hours of sleep!!”. You set your alarm, check for messages, and climb in bed excited for the morning ahead.
Imagine what planned time with yourself could look like.
Adopting the rhythm of caring for yourself
There is an art to this. It involves getting to know yourself and overcoming unhealthy patterns that take from you. Give it just 2 weeks. See how much different your mornings and nights can look. The more you do this I promise it will become a lifestyle. The rhythm in which you prioritize yourself throughout the day.
Just imagine what your lunch breaks could look like 😉
We all live busy and stressful lives. Though a lot is not in our control, what if one of the most influential things is!
Let me know how this adds to you, friend.
How to Prioritize Self Care when You are Burnt Out
