Easy ways to destress when it seems impossible

Stress, something we all have struggled with at one point in our lives. I have always thought of myself as being rather calm and level headed when it came to everyday things but when I became a mother, that went out of the window. I don’t know what it is about motherhood that makes me want to sit in a corner and rock back and forth from sheer mental exhaustion. Maybe it is because of the lack of adult conversation in my everyday life or the fact that my life is now run by a tiny little maniac who is capable of chucking bigger diva tantrums than Mariah Carey! Whatever the reason, me keeping my stress levels at bay is essential for not only myself but for the poor people who have to put up with my bouts of panic and short temper.

But how do you destress when you hardly have time to take a shower let alone scratch your arse without having a screaming child clung to your leg? It is difficult but with a few simple tweeks to your routine it is possible.

MEDITATION

Now before you roll your eyes at me , gimme a second! Meditation does not mean you have to sit with your legs folded and twisted while wearing a white robe and chanting OMMMM. Not at all. It doesn’t mean that you have to turn into some spiritual hippy either, no matter what your beliefs and views are on life, meditation is for everyone. Instead of seeing it as some new age mumbo jumbo look at it as teaching you how to switch off your mind.

Give yourself 5-10 minutes in the morning or just before you go to sleep. Get into a comfortable position and start taking deep breaths through your nose while concentrating on those breaths. You will find that your mind will wonder and start thinking about everything and anything. However you will quickly realise your mind has wondered and will redirect your concentration on to your breathing again. The trick is that you are slowly teaching yourself to control your thoughts and as time goes on you will notice that it becomes easier and easier to turn your mind off. I use the app Headspace just before I go to bed and I have been noticing a difference in my stress and productivity levels during the day. It consists of 10 min meditations for everyday, if you can get past the guys weird accent then thats great! and bonus..it is free!

BUBBLE AND SCRUB

A bath is ideal but lets face it in the world of parenting it just isn’t possible to do every week let alone every month, but a shower can be just as relaxing when done right. When I say shower I mean a real shower. Not the panic shower that I have grown accustomed to taking in the mornings  while my son is banging on the door. A long, take your time shower where you can wash away the stresses of the day and breath in those lovely scents from your shower gels and potions. But when do you have time to take this kind of shower?

For me I had to adjust my routine and take my shower in the evenings. With bubs in bed, dinner had and kitchen cleaned, I have all the time to properly soak up the benefits of a relaxing shower and even manage to exfoliate while I am there! I know what you are going to say, it is difficult to wait until the end of the day to wash, and lets face it when you are still full of lady hormones, night sweats can be a bitch!! That is why I still have a very quick panic shower to wash my skin in the morning if needed, but I save the enjoyable stuff for the evening.

BOOK OR TV SERIES ANYONE?

For me there is nothing I enjoy more than snuggling up with a book or relaxing on the couch to watch one of my favourite tv shows. For me it winds me down and I genuinely feel joy when I am able to do this. However finding the time to do this can be tricky. Let alone letting go of the  guilt that you should be doing something useful!

LET IT GO, relax time is essential and you have a right to take some time for your self to unwind while bubs is sleeping. If you are at the end of your tether then don’t feel bad if you need to sit down and relax a bit. A cup of tea, a biscuit and your favourite TV show for 30 minutes isn’t going to hurt anyone and will do wonders for you.

Voilà here you have it, my favourite ways to unwind and destress when I am about ready to punch someone in the face. These are simple ways that anyone can incorporate into their daily routine and I have found the less stressed I am the more productive I tend to be. A happy mum = a happy baby and husband!

xxx

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