“Rest and mid-day breaks* This was the theme of my week. Allowing myself to rest. I have worked throughout my single life and I was a proud workaholic. I do not know if it it because of the culture of the industries I have worked for, or if I took after my Dad, but i thrived in the endless to-do lists and tight deadlines.
Moms need afternoon naps too
As a stay at home mom, i realized lately that I have been overburdening myself with endless lists and self-imposed deadlines. Yes they were SMART goals, all are possible to do within the day — but I end up dead tired with no patience for rambunctious kids as soon as the clock strikes 8pm.
*I run out of patience by 8pm,* i tell my kids every single day and so they all have to be ready for bed by that time. Either they play quietly till 830pm or off to bed they go.
Heart-to-heart talk
The mister mentioned to me that he feels bad each time I tell him that I finally got the chance to sit on the couch at about 5. He says, it is my choice to overwork myself and that I should be kind to myself. He said recess and deadlines apply to moms too. and so he said I should take breaks within the day even for just 30 minutes, and I should not be plagued by guilt if I put up my feet in the couch, surf TV or the net, or take a nap. “The kids can just play to their heart’s content, make a mess and all, but love yourself enough to give it a rest. Your body needs it more than ever, it will boost your immunity,” he says.
I gave it a try. I do chores 2-3 at a time, and then take rests. after work out, I make breakfast for everyone, feed them, and take a rest before I tackle the dishes. The same routine goes on throughout the day, and after a couple of days, I found myself accomplishing the chores but not feeling as busy as I used to. Where did I get the extra time?
Truth be told, the Mister kept on telling me that the list is endless. And if I give myself the permission to rest, it will not matter because the chores will always be there! Just like what is in this lovely quote from the wonderful blog “A Life in Progress”
So now I understand that bible devotion, daily work out, a bit of downtime before bed, less coffee, and sleeping early are not just THE MUSTS in my journey to better motherhood.
I have to rest mid day — be it a nap or short read in the couch– and then rest some more in the afternoon. Yes, I have discovered that power naps and mid-day down times for moms are so refreshing! I also started to challenge myself to take a break when needed, not when am too tired or when the work is done.
And that I think, is the secret to this week’s longer patience and happier mommying days! Happy Friday ladies!