Being a mom is the most tiring job in the world. It’s a 24 hour a day, 7 days a week job with no days off, no sick days, and no lunch breaks. I remember during the first few weeks of my son’s life I could barely function because I was so tired. I quickly found out that no matter how tired you are as a mom, life doesn’t and can’t stop for you to sleep. Diapers still need to get changed, kids still need to get fed, baths still need to be taken, and so on. It’s a never ending job, however, there is hope. There are some tips and tricks you can do to help make your tired days seem a little less exhausting.
1. Ask For Help
I know this may seem completely obvious, but usually as moms we are too proud to ask for help. We think we can do everything ourselves and the truth is we simply can’t. If you are so tired that you can barely function, ask your husband to help. If he can take a sick day, take advantage of it and let him stay home to help you take care of the kids so you can get some rest. If you don’t have that luxury, call your mom, best friend, or neighbor and ask for help. Even if they just take your kids for an hour so you can catch a few minutes of shut eye, every little bit will help.
2. Stop Doing So Much
I know what you are thinking, and yes you can stop doing SOMETHING. Stop cleaning, stop doing laundry, stop cooking, etc. I’m not saying to stop doing this forever, but we are not superheroes. We literally can not do everything. If the bath tub doesn’t get washed one day, it’s okay – no one is going to die because it’s a little dirty. If you have to order pizza one night because you didn’t have time to cook, that’s okay too. The kids will probably like pizza more than a home cooked meal anyways. Just stop doing so much every single day. Everyone will still live just fine and life will go on. The cleaning, laundry, and cooking can get done another day or someone else can do it for you.
3. Put A Clock In Your Child’s Room
If you have older kids that can somewhat understand what time the clock says, put a clock in their bedroom and tell them that they cannot come out of their bedroom until the clock turns a certain number like 7:00 or 8:00 am. Even if they wake up before that time, they have to stay in their room and quietly play until the clock turns that number. This allows you to catch some extra shut eye since you won’t have kids coming in a waking you up at an unsightly time.
4. Sleep While Your Kids Do Something Safe
Sometimes when my 2 year old wakes up at an extremely early hour I will put his favorite cartoons on for him either on our iPad or on the TV and let him lay in bed with us while he watches them. You can also do this later in the day when you need to lay down for a few minutes. Just give your child a snack and let them watch some cartoons so you can relax and have a minute to yourself. Even if you don’t actually “sleep” just the ability to relax, close your eyes, and let your body catch a few minutes of not doing something will help you feel a little more energized. If you’re afraid of falling asleep and not waking up while your kids are awake, set an alarm for 10 minutes. Even 10 minutes of having your eyes closed will help you feel more rested.
5. Get In Your Exercise
As you’re reading this you’re probably laughing and thinking, “I’m already exhausted and have too much to do, and you are telling me to exercise?” Well the simple answer is yes. Getting in regular exercise will actually increase your energy. I know it seems like the opposite would happen and that you would be even more tired, but that couldn’t be farther from the truth. Even a small amount of exercise like walking for 10-15 minutes, or taking a bike ride to the park instead of driving will increase your energy levels. Try to get in whatever small amount you can.
6. Eat Healthier
Giving your body the proper nutrients it needs to function will help a great deal in boosting our energy levels. About 4 months ago I began eating very healthy every day. I noticed after about a week of doing so that I had so much more energy than when I ate junk food most of the time. Now, I know that eating healthier can sometimes take a lot more planning and energy to do, so keep it simple to start with until you get more comfortable doing so. For snacks, eat an apple and a yogurt instead of chips. For breakfast make yourself some eggs instead of a big bowl of sugary cereal. Those small changes every day will give you much more energy and will also help shed a few pounds as well!
Mary Mulroney
Latest posts by Mary Mulroney (see all)
- 5 Easy Changes To A Healthier You - October 12, 2020
- 7 Great Resources For Affordable And Beautiful Rugs - October 12, 2020
- Tips For Switching To A Dairy-Free Diet - September 29, 2020
