It’s quite easy to go insane as a mum or a dad! So much to do, so many needs to cater for and so little time. It can be very hard to balance everything and very stressful so we’ve come up with a list of some daily habits you can do to try and stay calm and most importantly sane through it all!
We will start off with the most important one. Have some quiet time for yourself every day. This is an order, not a suggestion. We get that you need to be there all the time and be doing something constantly but trust us, having those 15 minutes to yourself daily, will make you more present and calmer for when you are with your children. Have a bath, a glass of wine, or scroll social media, do whatever you want to do but do find those 15 minutes where you can be alone with your own thoughts.
Plan and prepare. Planning what needs to be done the night before is a great way to stay on track. Have a list of things you need to do and make sure it is realistic. Don’t have loads of things on your list because apart from it being impossible to complete, you’ll also feel unmotivated when you have so much to do. Prepare what you can the night before. Whether it’s making lunch or having the children pack their school bag the night before. These small things save time in turn, reducing stress.
Do one big chore a day. Maybe it’s cleaning the oven or clearing out the fridge or cleaning a window. Having one big thing that might take some time but the rest are small tasks that are quick and easy to do will make it easier. Plus, you won’t have a day in the month where you need to do everything that’s built up over the weeks. We also suggest doing a load of laundry every day or every other day. If you leave the dirty clothes to build up, you’ll have loads to wash, loads to fold and put away plus you will probably end up needing to wear something throughout the week but it will be dirty so you can’t which will lead to added frustration.
Have tidy sessions. Have some time during the day or evening where you make a fun game of cleaning with your children. Set a timer and start tidying. For example, they could tidy their playroom or their study area by putting everything back in its place and you could tackle the kitchen and living room. These small tidy-up times help way more than you think. Having those 15 minutes a day where you put things back in their place will help with the other cleanliness of the house.
Dedicate some time to play with your children. You need to find the balance between being a strict parent and also a fun parent. It’s easier for you to end up overwhelmed with boring tasks that take up all your time but do dedicate time to sit with your children and play. The most important part of this is being actually present not just physically.
Routines are great. Have a bedtime routine for your children. This not only prepares them mentally as they know when they need to start getting ready for bed but also gives you some time to do some things in peace and quiet. Maybe prepare their lunch or sweep the floor. Anything that might be difficult during the day, can be done at that time.
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