Mommy Monday: How to keep your Sanity as a Stay at Home/Work from Home Mom!
I'm a work at home mother and have been since my daughter was about 1 1/2. I am this way for two reasons:
1. My mental health would get so bad when working out of the home that I would quit jobs all because my paranoia would make me believe someone was going to fire me when nothing was wrong...crazy right?
2. My daughter's health was always our top priority and when she needed parents around night and day watching over her, I made sure I could be there so my husband wasn't both night and day.
But sometimes, I feel like I'm going crazy and I know you do too! If my husband is having a bad day whether he's sick, stayed up all night to take care of our daughter, and I'm working suddenly I'm working, cooking, and hearing "Mommy!" every five seconds all while trying to keep focused when all I want to do is fall asleep! So what do we do when we feel so overwhelmed? First off:
It is not a bad thing to want some time to yourself!!
It is not a bad thing to want some time to yourself!!
A lot of Moms feel guilty (and I've done the same) when we realize we are just at our wits end and need a break. We don't want to be away from our children, or we want to make sure we're there to help our spouse when they need it. But the reality is if we don't take care of ourselves, then our families and homes aren't taken care of either. Who is going to pick up those ripped Capri-Sun straw plastic wraps off the floor? Who is going to make sure that tiny piece of rope that got pulled off the dog's rope toy isn't now wrapped around the vacuum cleaner roller? Who is going to be there if we aren't? Yeah, I've been there.
Look your spouse in the eye and say "Honey, I need a minute." and don't smile. I guarantee you they will go a bit wide-eyed and tell you to go. Go to your bedroom and close the door and then go to your bedroom closet and close the door. Sit in the dark, and take a deep breath. Shut your eyes and do this a couple of times. In through the nose, out through the mouth nice and slow. You'll hear and feel your heartbeat as you do and you'll feel it rise and fall and then...you'll start to relax. It is not a bad thing to be alone for yourself while your children are awake. Just like they need wind down time when they get too nuts, so do you! After a few deep breaths just relax a bit, you don't have to keep doing the deep breathing you can just take the moment of quiet. You may hear the far off sound of that toddler squeal but it won't be near as loud and the fact the bedroom door is shut should tell your spouse to keep the kiddo away for just a few minutes!
It was I believe around $3.00 and they are two rows of small Dark Chocolate wedges. These are AMAZING LIFE SAVERS. If you find yourself starving, cranky, what is the term? HANGRY? Pop this open and eat a single piece! Do it in the dark, go back to the closet! Do it when your kid runs to the bathroom! Heck do it and if you're asked what you're chewing tell them it's a piece of broccoli I guarantee you they won't ask again, haha. Chocolate in small amounts is totally healthy and is an indulgent way to take care of yourself when you're at home all day with your family. Treat yourself, because I can almost promise you you treat your spouse and children better than you treat yourself.
Remember, you can also try meditation, hot baths (alone) by candlelight with zen music, and nature. Go outside!
You can hear this can't you, you can hear the leaves rustling from the wind? That sound is so soothing and calming and it'll make you take a nice, long inhale and your eyes will close. You can be one with nature even for just a couple of minutes. If you're like me and in the Texas Summer, yeah only be out for a minute or two and try to be in the shade but enjoy that nature. The Goddess gave us beauty for a reason outside, so that we didn't say inside where our shelter becomes our prison. You know nature and love and beauty is there for us to calm and soothe.
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