Tired mums needing a quick pick-me-up should try having a power nap.
Feeling tired all the time from running after the little ones, and sometimes the big ones? We already know there aren’t enough hours in the day to do everything, so take it easy and give yourself a much needed boost with these super ideas.
Things you can do
Power naps
If you are one of those women who can sleep on command, then power naps are your best friend. Find windows of 15 minutes to half an hour to hole up somewhere for a quick snooze. Now, not everyone has this talent, so for those who can’t, a 15-minute interval of doing nothing but just lying down and closing your eyes will help revive you a little.
Watch a travel show
Sometimes, it’s not physical tiredness, but mental fatigue that really gets you down. Your mind is bored from doing the same things over and over, or overly stressed from worrying about every tiny detail of your day. Take a little time-out and switch on the TV to your favourite programme. Travel programmes are always a good bet, as they literally take your mind wandering. Sometimes it takes a little perspective to kickstart your engine again.
Talk to a friend
You don’t have to engage in deep, meaningful conversations. In fact, we advocate that you talk nonsense with your friends! With all the technology in your favour, you can chat on Whatsapp, Facebook, Google Chat, Viber, and so on! There’s not even the need to pick up the phone anymore. When you’re feeling frazzled, have a silly chat with a friend about anything. You will feel better in no time.
Exercise
Exercising releases happy hormones, so what’s stopping you? We know it feels like an extra “chore” sometimes, but you don’t have to go out of your way. A quick walk around your neighbourhood, or a short cycle to the nearby park is considered exercise, too. So is working out to a Pilates DVD. Choose something that fits in with your lifestyle.
Things you can eat and drink
Lemongrass tea
Lemongrass has relaxing and rejuvenating properties. It apparently also has anti-cancer and anti-ageing properties (do check with your doctor though). Lemongrass has a soothing scent, which is why it is used extensively in spas and massage centres. So, make yourself a cuppa and take five minutes to realign your body and mind. You can make it yourself by bruising a few lemongrass stalks and boiling them for 20 minutes or so. Or you can buy lemongrass teabags from the herbal tea section in the shops.
Start your day with breakfast
Make it hearty. Include protein and complex carbohydrates in your breakfast and you’ll be better equipped for the day. Eggs on toast is an easy breakfast you can make for yourself and everyone. A smoothie is a quick way to make sure you have enough nutrients to start the day as well.
Go nuts
Have a jar of nuts ready for you to grab a handful whenever you feel a little tired. Almonds and cashew nuts have loads of magnesium, which is the mineral responsible for breaking down sugar into energy. So eat up!
Drink up
Our body needs a lot of water to function at its best. Sometimes dehydration could be mistaken for fatigue. Whenever you’re feeling lethargic or sluggish, down a glass or two or water, and you will start to feel better, like a plant that has just been given water after a hot day in the sun.
Things you can plan
Don’t overschedule
When we try to achieve too many things, we start to feel overwhelmed when certain things get sidelined. The answer to this is to know our limits. If you’re a working mother, you may feel the need to compensate by doing an hour of schoolwork with your kids after work. An hour may not sound like much, but it is, after 10 hours at work. So, don’t be too hard on yourself. Perhaps you can alternate the activities – read together on Mondays, do Mathematics on Tuesdays, and so on. And limit the time to half an hour.
If you’re a stay-at-home mother, there would be a lot on your plate. There’s cooking, cleaning, picking the kids up from school, and more cooking and cleaning. That won’t do. Perhaps you could hire a cleaner to take part of that load off you. Or eat out at lunch and only cook dinner. Plan something that would suit your budget.
Plan a “do nothing day”
How fun is that? Okay, if you can’t take the whole day off, at least take three hours off. Right after you drop the kids off at school, be prepared to do absolutely nothing. After the first half an hour, you may start to feel a little bored, but don’t relent. The key is to relief your body and mind of the burden of always having something to accomplish. It’ll also help to clear some of the clutter in your mind, enabling you to put everything into perspective.
Schedule spa days
Once a month, pencil in a day of indulgence, whether it’s going for a massage and body scrub, or a manicure and pedicure. It’ll give you something to look forward to and alleviate boredom.
Limited time offer:
Just RM5 per month.
