Your family wellness starts with you.
We all know how stressful it can be when our children are sick. In those moments all our focus and energy go to provide comfort and care for the sick child. However, it is also not uncommon for mums to put others’ needs before their own, even when the whole family is well and healthy. Mums tend to spend all their time looking after everyone else and end up with no time for them. The longing for some ‘me time’ makes them feel guilty, so they ignore it. In the long term, this lifestyle is not sustainable and will cause burnout.
Think how often you feel:
- Irritated with the little things
- Overwhelmed
- Out of control
- Resentful
Do you quickly lose patience, have low energy and constantly feel exhausted?
The worry and stress of having a sick baby combined with the lack of sleep can often make you feel this way. Even when your children are well, most mums experience the above feelings at some point in their motherhood. It’s perfectly normal. But if it happens often, it can have a negative effect on you and your family. It’s crucial that you take care of yourself. You need to be well, so that you can look after your family. Your wellbeing is vital to your family’s wellbeing.
Wellbeing and ‘me time’
Regular ‘me time’ is an important part of our wellbeing. The best way to ensure it does happen is to put it in your calendar. There are 24 hours in a day or as I like to look at it 72 blocks of 20 minutes. Check your diary, see what you’ve got on and find pockets of time just for yourself, even if it’s only 5-20 minutes. The trick is to stick to it and more importantly don’t use this time to check your emails, clean up the house or fold the laundry. Instead, go for a walk, read a book, go out with a friend. Do something that you used to love doing before starting a family, or use this time to simply breathe, reflect and clear your mind. It may seem a bit stressful not to be by your baby’s side when they are unwell or leave things unfinished, but even a short break will give you more energy and have a positive effect on how you feel.
7 x benefits of ‘me’ time
- More in control of your emotions
- Less irritable
- Clear mind and better decisions
- More productive
- Improved sleep and less fatigue
- Lower stress levels
- In general, becoming a better mum and partner
As mums, we tend to think that having ‘me time’ is selfish, especially when we have an unwell baby in the house. Consequently, we feel guilty about it. What we don’t realise is that our ‘me time’ can benefit others too. Take time every day to, reset and recharge and by doing this, you will create more patience, calmness and positive attitude. You will feel more balanced and energised to look after your unwell child.
So, are you ready to take charge of your own wellbeing? Start by completing a Wellbeing Assessment and booking a FREE follow up consultation.
My name is Alicja, I’m a mum of two children and a Lifestyle, Food and Wellness Coach as well as Gallup Certified Strengths Coach. I created Time For Mum (www.timeformum.com) because I’m passionate about supporting mums in the most challenging and important job they’ll ever do, being a mum.
Written by Alicja Figiel
