One thing that I knew I always wanted to be was a mother, then after becoming a mother I knew that I wanted to be able to be there for all the things. Being able to stay home and be with my children 24/7 has been a gift, but I also have been feeling overwhelmed with the constant focus I have to have. Watching children all day Monday through Friday, on top of being “mom” 24 hours a day (because even at night we are still on duty, no matter what anyone else thinks or says), has started to slowly drain my battery. I am finding myself being ready for the day to be over, where I used to love being the space where kids could go. I am finding that I don’t spend time on me in any shape or form. So, I have made a decision to stop operating in the empty battery state of mind and start focusing on filling my battery up daily and not allowing it to get to zero.
My goal is to use the rest of the year to focus on five things that I have chosen to focus on to prioritize myself. I would love to have others join me in the prioritizing season, especially those who are moms and are feeling like they are running on low. Habits can be something that start slow and small and turn into life long, long-term habits and that is my goal and hope with this journey I am starting.
Daily Walks
Intentional movement is something that I have always been very focused on and one easier way that I have found recently I can do this is by taking daily walks. Even if it is just a 10-minute walk or a quick walk up and down our little road a few times, this intentional time to be outside and be up and moving is so helpful with clearing my head. These daily walks are something I can do even on days when it is just the boys and I home, because I can just pop Easton in a stroller and Theo will walk right along with me.
Less Scrolling Time (8:30 am – 8:30pm)
One thing that I find myself doing more times than not is scrolling ALL THE TIME. First thing when I wake up – scrolling. Right before bed – scrolling. So, something I want to really focus on is limiting my “scrolling time”. How many things are we missing out on because we are too focused on social media seeing what everyone else is doing? Less scrolling time will allow me to spend more time on things that truly bring me happiness and to spend less time comparing to others. My goal to start is to not use my phone (besides checking QUICKLY for any messages from parents in the morning) until after 8:30am and then not using my phone AT ALL after 8:30pm. I’m hoping this will allow me to create a morning routine where I can do other things that fill my cup and focus on me, rather than what others are putting on social media. As well as at nighttime, I am hoping this will help me get to sleep faster and instead of scrolling until bed I can spend time on reading or some kind of selfcare.
Skincare – AM & PM
Since having Easton my skin has been a struggle to keep under control. I have never, I mean NEVER, had trouble with breakouts. Would I get a pimple here and there? Of course. But this is next level, and it has been a struggle. Everyone wants to feel confident and happy with their skin and I can truly say that I have not been in the past 4-5 months. Of course, there is a lot that goes into the breakouts – stress, diet, did I mention stress? But one thing that I have not been great about is my skincare. Taking 10 minutes in the morning and night to properly take care of my skin has felt like an extra job that I just don’t want to have to deal with, and now I am seeing the negative results from being lazy about it. So, another thing that I am going to prioritize is taking TEN MINUTES (seriously it probably won’t even take that long!), to clean and moisturize my skin every morning and night.
Daily Stretching
I have always been active, but one thing I can for sure say I haven’t been is flexible. As I am getting older and the flexibility is becoming less and less, I am starting to realize that if I don’t start focusing on it a little more now, than I am going to wishing I did tend to my body in this way. I have found several videos on YouTube that are quick, but make sure you are allowing a meaningful amount of time for each stretch. My goal is to each morning spend at least 10 minutes following along with one of these videos to allow my body to wake up, lessen any muscle stiffness I may have, and help improve my overall posture and increase my bodies range of motion.
Daily Movement – Pilates, Lifting, Running, Dancing
As I mentioned above, I have always been active – whether it be playing sports, attending workout classes, working out at home, but since having my youngest son I have found it very hard to get back into my daily movement routine and stick with it. Of course, with my daily walks I am getting movement in, but I also like to add in some kind of extra physical activity that allows me to feel strong and confident in myself. So, my goal is to have daily movement Monday through Saturday on top of my daily walking! I am not going to make myself commit to a program, but I want to give myself the freedom to try different things and each day do what my body and mind are needing. With this I am hoping to get back into the habit of having this movement every day and finding which kinds of movement really light my fire in this season of life.
With the new year right around the corner, I am excited to focus on and prioritize myself with these five things daily. Too many times we will wait until the New Year to start new habits, but I am motivated to invest in myself for the next three and a half months and gain momentum and slowly make these lifelong habits that I will do without even thinking about it come 2025!
XO Megan
