Being a mother means having to deal with a never-ending to-do list. Here are a few quick and easy ways to prevent your stress-o-meter from shooting up.
Plan ahead: Preparing breakfast, packing your kid’s bag, sending them off to school and doing all this in less than two hours can really test your limits. Make it less stressful by doing some of it the night before. Also try getting up an hour before your kids do, so that you have an easy start to the day—sit by the window and sip a coffee.
Keep your cool: Just when you thought you had everything in control, you realise your kid has either broken something or caused a little damage. Instead of losing your cool, take a step back and breathe deeply. At times, looking at things from a different perspective helps. Was your child just curious to know how the watch works when he accidentally dropped it? Rather than acting on impulse, try to find out the real reason for your child’s behavior.
Delegate chores: Trying to do everything by yourself will make you frustrated. Instead, outsource some of the work, laundry for instance, so that your day is more relaxed and you can spend some quality time with your family. You can also instill a habit in your children to help you with little things, like packing their own bags or getting the dishes to the sink after dinner.
Stop overthinking: Nothing that you do will ever be enough; so there’s no point getting worked up about things you could not do. Try yoga and listening to music in moments of stress. Go out with friends who do not have kids for refreshing conversations that don’t revolve around kids’ schedules and their needs.
Take some time off: Here’s where Murphy’s Law kicks in. The more you try to sort out things, the more they’ll go wrong. In such times, remember less is always more. Don’t fill your days with jobs you cannot handle. Set aside a few days in a month when you won’t cook or do your daily chores. Also, let your kid handle a few things on their own, even if it means them messing it up. That’s how kids learn, isn’t it?