Hey lady, Short on time for yourself?
I’m sure you’ve heard it before, “you have to take care of yourself before you can fully take care of anyone else” or “you can’t pour from an empty cup”. The stewardess on an airplane even tells us to put the oxygen mask on ourselves before attempting to help others. After all, you’re not much good to anyone if you pass out from lack of oxygen. This is also true for your mental health.
But It. Is. So. Hard. If you’re a mom or career-focused (or both!) it can feel impossible or selfish to even think about ways to take care of yourself when you’re focused on schedules, deadlines, keeping your family fed/clean/alive, and everything else you have to do. Now add depression into the mix, which zaps your motivation and steals your ability to enjoy things, and it can feel impossible to take care of yourself on an emotional level.
Warning, huge BUT ahead: If you can muster even 2 minutes a day to engage in some type of pleasurable or restorative activity, it can drastically improve your mental health. Better mental health means you can be better around (and for) others. Two minutes may not seem like enough to make a big change, but
think of Newton’s first law: An object at rest stays at rest and an object in motion stays in motion. So by even starting to do small activities that make you feel less “blah” for a short period of time you begin a reaction. You are taking charge. You are making progress. You are moving forward.
Here are some super quick ideas to get you going:Go outside and watch the clouds drift byPut on some musicPractice belly breathingText a friendWalk to the end of your street and backLook at happy photosPlay with or snuggle a petSip coffee outsideJournalGently stretch your arms or legsPaint your nailsDoodle or drawWatch a funny video on YouTubeGoogle funny memesText “I love you” to someone you loveBake something you likeExamine an everyday object with fresh eyesGet a house plantFind an uplifting scent like lemon or citrusTake a bath instead of a shower
