Dear moms: This one’s for you! Eight relaxation tips for busy moms and all womankind.
As women and especially moms, we often put the needs of others before your own. But that overwhelming responsibility can quickly leave you stressed and tightly-wound. Finding time for yourself is imperative to your sanity. It doesn’t matter if you can only steal away some alone time for 10, 30 or 60 minutes—these quick fixes will leave you relaxed and rejuvenated enough to step right back into the craziness.
Let’s all just relax, right ladies? Make the most of your time with these relaxation tips!
If You Have 10 Minutes or Less:
- Realize all you have to be grateful for. As the kids scarf down their breakfast to try and catch the school bus or morning carpool, write down three things you are grateful for from the previous day. Maybe it was a phone call from a close friend, new vegetables (finally!) growing in your garden or some great new music recommendations from a stranger. Regardless, reflecting on what you’re thankful for creates positive affirmations for the rest of the day.
- Use yoga to de-stress. Waiting to retrieve the kids from a playdate or after-school activity? Perform some simple stretches to help relieve the tension. Rotate your neck and shoulders in a circular motion, then bend over at the waist, holding your elbows and letting your head and neck hang heavy.
- Think of your happy place. There’s no need to escape to the beach or mountains for an extravagant kids-free getaway. Sometimes all you need is as little as five minutes to take in the benefits of meditation. Just find a comfortable spot and focus on taking deep breaths. You’ll literally feel the anxiety melt away.
If You Have 30 Minutes or Less:
- Prepare for an eventual pampering. Go shopping and invest is some fantastic herbal shampoos and body lotions. That way, when you finally get the time to clean the spit-up or dried baby goop out of your hair, you can relax with aromatherapy. Here are our DIY beauty recipes to get ideas.
- Get lost in a book. If you commute to work via public transportation, don’t check work emails! Instead, take the time to read a book—yes, for pleasure! If you stay home, try to implement “quiet time” where everyone gets to enjoy their own hobby for 20 to 30 minutes. Because unfortunately, nap time doesn’t last forever.
- Exercise! Getting just 30 minutes of exercise per day will help you relax, and what mom doesn’t appreciate multi-tasking? There’s nothing quite like getting your heart rate going to blow off steam, and shaping your beach bod in the process is an added benefit. A few options include: yoga, running, cycling and group fitness. If possible, find a gym buddy and get the added benefits of laughing and enjoying some thoughtful adult conversation.
If You Have 60 Minutes or Less:
- Ease tired muscles in the spa. Sometimes, there’s nothing better than getting in the hot tub. If you have a full-hour of uninterrupted time, go ahead and light some candles, put on soothing music and use a spa pillow to ease a stiff neck. Stretch out your muscles and make sure you have some (healthy) red wine nearby.
- Host a spa hour. Every mom could use a bit of pampering, so why not give yourself a spa day (or spa hour) at home! The trick is to plan ahead. Mark the date on your calendar and prep your space, such as having clean, fluffy towels and all the necessary supplies for treatments on hand. Finally, decide which royal treatment you’d like to give yourself and bam, relaxation town! You can even enlist the kids to help make hair and facial masks if you want to get everyone involved!
However you decide to unwind, remember, you deserve it!
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