Me Time SAHM edition
Becoming a SAHM can be a fun or sensitive topic for everyone. For some, that is their dream; it’s all they want, and maybe financially, you are forced into the role due to daycare costs, or perhaps you don’t trust anyone else with your precious children. Being a SAHM can be very rewarding regardless of how you got here. Still, it can also be mentally draining in ways you may not be able to put into words. I’m here to help give you some tips to help it be less draining on you, hopefully. Please remember that yes, you are a SAHM, but you are also you, and I know for some, it’s hard to be both.
Let’s start with Mornings because those can usually be pretty hectic. I understand you and your family’s situation will differ depending on what’s going on and the ages of your children. What if you could somehow get 30 minutes every morning to do what you want to do, whatever that looks like. Whether it is working out, taking a shower, a hobby ext.
Yes, I said hobby because, again, you are still you. If you have 30 minutes a day, you could change it up or create a schedule for which ones you do on which days. Remember that you can work out and shower in 30 minutes if you want to because something is better than nothing. Now how do we go about this? Well, it will depend on your child or children’s ages.
You can utilize nap time or create playpen time where they are nearby but safe. Id recommends saving chores for later, and you’ll see why soon. But make a routine for your children as well as one for yourself. If you have to wake up an extra 30 minutes early, I know I said it, but it’ll be worth it. Back when some of yall worked, Id bet you got up early before work to give yourself some time; now is no different. Think of it this way, If you don’t take care of yourself, how are you supposed to take care of the family and house? It is simple you cant. So take some time for yourself. Also, do one laundry task; your kids could be playing or in a carrier at this time.
Now that everyone is ready to start the day, have a planner. So you can see appointments and what needs to get done. I also suggest adding a cleaning chore to your planner. It can be whatever you want it to be. Yes, your house can only be as clean as you have kids living there; I get it, I do. But what if you could say your kitchen is always clean or your bathrooms are always clean? It’s small, but mentally, it means everything, not to mention it will increase mental clarity and functionality in your lives. One of my mother in laws sayings is that she loves the kid’s snuggles, but that wouldn’t stop her from getting things done. She’d be cooking and cleaning with the kids on her hips. Nowadays, there are many different wraps and stuff at your disposal. Or if your kids are old enough to use the bouncer, that’s always an option.
When it comes to making meals, I will link my budget post ??.
If possible, I always try to follow the clean-as-you-go mentality. When making your and the kid’s lunch, take that time to meal prep dinner. Because after lunch, you should set a 10 min timer while your kids are doing their thing to accomplish your one cleaning task. You read a book or, maybe, just read a couple of pages of your book. Another thing you could do is put an audiobook on and do another laundry task or perhaps even sit outside if you have a backyard. It is also very beneficial for children to get fresh air. You may have to move outside time around based on the weather conditions where you live. But try to get everyone outside once a day even if its sitting out back, or a walk to check the mail. I think you’ll notice a huge difference. Fresh air can do wonders for one’s mental health.
Now that it’s towards the end of the day, let’s talk about a night routine. It could be as simple as running the dishwasher and cleaning the floors. Come up with just a couple of tasks you could do that will help you feel better in the morning about your day. For me, it is floors and vacuum lines. What is it for you? Let me know in a comment!
Now that everyone’s in bed and it’s time for you to wind down, take a journal out and write one thing that made you smile that day, whether its your kids, the weather, or you feel proud of yourself for getting something done. If you already do this, then at the end of the week, look back through it and see how your week went, and maybe that’ll help give you a boost to get thru the following week. If you can give yourself 10 minutes at night, perhaps while you get ready for bed. You light a candle and listen to a audiobook, or in bed, you work on a craft, whatever it is that makes you smile. At this point, you have spent approximately an hr each day on yourself. So when the bad days come, you can tell yourself what will I do with your hr tomorrow! Is it all at once? No, but that’s ok; the point is you still got to be you! Just because you become a SAHM doesn’t mean you have to lose yourself or not get any of your time. It’s time management and being creative with lots of multitasking.
I hope this helps give yall the motivation you need to tackle this next week! If you’re a SAHM, comment below your favorite tip or thing you’ve learned.