Depending on where you are in the US, you’ve most likely been in some form of quarantine for the past several weeks. My family is on day 29 of self-imposed quarantine, and day 14 of a state-wide stay at home order. I am attempting to work full time from home while taking care of my three boys aged 6 and under who are home from school and daycare, and providing some form of schooling for the older two. The first week or so I was riding high, working nearly full time, spending the time with my boys, feeling on top of everything. So I wrote a post about my schedule. The drudgery has now set in, and I am just trying to stay above water. Over the past several days, I have focused on ways to take care of everything including myself.
We Need to Prevent Burnout
Working parents have a ton of responsibility in everyday life. Now with kids of all ages home from school we’ve added another full time job on top of childcare, our jobs, and taking care of ourselves. It will cause stress problems very quickly if we don’t remember to take care of ourselves. Hopefully you’re company is understanding that normal work is not going to happen with kids at home. Even if you do, I’m sure the stress of everything is hitting you.
Focusing on self-care is important now more than ever. If we don’t keep sane, then our children are going to feel the stress of this situation. If there is one thing that comes from this life-changing pandemic, I want it to be that our family comes out stronger. I want our children remember it as a fun time with love and adventure.
Finding Time for Self-Care is Hard
As we have added anther job, and it is easy for us as parents to say that we need to spend less time on ourselves and more time doing everything else that needs doing. It is also very easy to say that we don’t have any time for self care. We need to get out of this mind-set now before we’ve burned out. Find the time now. Find 15 – 20 minutes every other day. Put the kids to bed or in front of the TV. Trade time with your spouse being on kid-duty. Or, figure out how to de-stress with your kids. I’ve compiled a list of ways to relax alone and with your kids below. Hopefully you kind find something that works for you.
Ways to Relax
De-stressing with your kids
- Play a game. Pick your family’s favorite type. Is it a board game? A card game? Hide and seek? Lose yourself in the kid-like fun of just playing a game.
- Build something. Working with Legos is a great way to get out of your head and be in the moment. Follow the directions if you like structure, or throw them away and use your imagination.
- Watch a movie together. Normally I am a proponent of limited screen time, but a movie night with pop-corn and lots of pillows on the floor is a great way to get away from reality.
- Take a walk together. If you can’t take a walk, sit on the front steps together. Just get outside. Breathe in the fresh air and listen to nature.
- Bake cookies. Make a mess in the kitchen and be creative.
- Color. Get out the crayons and a coloring book and have at it. Bonus point is you have scented markers.
De-stressing without the kids
- Do a short exercise routine. You don’t have to do a full hour routine. Just do a quick 15 minute routine to get the heart pumping and blood moving.
- Read a book. Pick a book you’ve been trying to read and set aside 20 minutes every day to read it.
- Meditate. Sit and try to think of nothing. If you have a mantra, repeat it.
- Listen to music. Tune into your favorite station and have a personal dance party. Or pop in a mix tape from middle school, lay on the floor, and stare at the ceiling contemplating which boy-band member is the hottest.
- Weed the garden. Get some physical activity while doing something useful. At the end you’ll feel both tired and accomplished.
- Call with a friend.
- Get crafty. Do you have a pile of knitting, crocheting, sewing, painting, etc projects sitting around? Tackle them a bit at a time.
- Do any of the kids’ activities by yourself. Confiscate a coloring book for yourself and work on it while drinking a nice glass of wine after bedtime. Get up early to make a batch of muffins for breakfast (eating them warm without anyone asking for something is my favorite part of this).
Keeping Sanity Going for the Long Haul
I hope by now we all realize that this is going to be our normal for several more weeks if not months. Make a point to do something relaxing at least every other day, if not everyday. Don’t make it the same thing everyday, or it may start to become routine and lose the de-stressing effect. Maybe take this time to try a new hobby. Definitely work on being comfortable with not being busy.
How are you dealing with the stress? Leave your tips below so we can all share!