Welcome to Day 17 of 31 Days of Mom Mojo – Tackling Time Management.
It takes as much energy to wish as it does to plan. Eleanor Roosevelt
1. Music to start my day
Resist the urge to turn on the television while you are preparing breakfast or getting ready in the morning. Instead put on your favorite radio station or even better, create a morning playlist with all your favorite songs. Studies show that music helps lift your spirits by easing mental tension and stimulating positive thinking. I know music makes a big difference for me on how my day starts. Some of my favorite morning music choices: Casting Crowns, Come to the Well, Chris Tomlin, How Great is Our God, and Audrey Assad, The House You’re Building.
2. Protein in the morning
Try to stay clear of a bunch of carbs in the morning. A morning full of bagels, sweet rolls and toaster pastries will get you no where! Instead, go for peanut butter and honey on whole-wheat toast, nonfat yogurt mixed with a cup of strawberries or blueberries, or a half cup of oatmeal and a hard-boiled egg. A mix of protein and carbs helps keep energy higher for a longer period because it takes longer to digest than an all-carb breakfast.
3. Dress for your day
What you wear can do wonders for your energy level and outlook on the day. I know if I get busy and find myself in sweats or even {gasp} my pajamas late in the morning, I tend to feel less than stellar and my self-image is a bit dampened. There is something to be said for taking a quick shower and putting on jeans or pants and a nice – CLEAN shirt to start your day. For me, I know it is a game changer for my day and what I can accomplish.
Just as your car runs more smoothly and requires less energy to go faster and farther when the wheels are in perfect alignment, you perform better when your thoughts, feelings, emotions, goals, and values are in balance. Brian Tracy
4. Brush your teeth
I have found a great way to re-fresh in the middle of the day – I brush my teeth and take a dose of mouthwash. Sometimes I will end up brushing my teeth 3-5 times a day, just to get the refreshing and energizing boost that comes from a fresh mouth. I take several medications that can significantly increase the chances that I have bad breath {ICK} so it is really important for me to keep that in check, plus it does help me feel better.
5. Grab a Burst
Did you know if you’re active for even just 10 minutes you boost your metabolism? These short bursts of exercise can really make a difference in your day. Take 10 minutes to walk around the block after lunch – grab the kiddos and go. Or even race up and down the stairs to a fun and energetic song – incorporating jumping jacks your kids can do along with you too. Got a jumprope? How about acting like you are back in elementary school and doing some jumping and learning those funny rhymes – maybe your kids can teach you a few new ones? Try to grab a burst a few times a day to break up your day and add energy.
6. Pour yourself a cold glass of water
Water is important to helping your body function at it’s best. It helps transport oxygen, nutrients, hormones, and antibodies throughout the body — and also helps eliminate toxins and waste. Not drinking enough water can leave you feeling fatigued. The benefit of drinking cold water shocks your body into wake-up mode by increasing blood flow, just like it does when you’re in the shower. If water is too bland for your taste, toss in some orange slices or lemon for extra flavor. I keep a tumbler of ice water (similar to this one) at my desk and/or my kitchen counter all day, refilling it as I go through it. It certainly helps me get my water for the day plus does not sweat and make a mess wherever it is set down.
7. Stretch it out
It’s no secret stress creeps into our days a moms. When you are under stress your muscles tighten up and we start to feel aches and pains a bit more and that ends up slowing us down. By simply incorporating a few stretches throughout your day you can loosen tense muscles and feel more alert. Simple stretching over from the waist and touching your toes or stretching up and lifting your hands above your head and reaching will give you some extra energy and relief.
8. Take a tickle break
Laughter raises your heart rate and increases blood flow, giving you the same energizing effect as exercise – isn’t that great? Grab a ‘victim’ and go for a round of tickling to keep everyone happy and give you some energy. I find that when I can get silly with my kids, especially when the stress level is rising, it will break the pattern which could ultimately result in a situation going downhill quickly.
9. Find hidden stressors
We all have our triggers that ten dot put us over the edge. How about really taking some time to identify those triggers and do whatever you can AHEAD of time to avoid them all together? I know as I’ve ‘matured’ in my journey through motherhood, things that once didn’t faze me now can set me off. I know I don’t like to be that person who everyone looks at to see if I am ready to blow my top! Take the time to consider what your triggers are and find ways to eliminate as many as you can. Several of mine are include: the TV blaring in the family room while I am trying to prepare dinner, cluttered kitchen counters, people not picking up after themselves or clothes that don’t fit. Some of these I can control fairly easily – like having a NO TV rule during the hours I am preparing dinner or creating a set consequence I can enforce when someone does not clean up after themselves. But some take more time or may not have a remedy, but if I am at least aware of them, I can usually catch myself before I erupt!
10. Create a sanctuary
If your bedroom is a place of disarray instead of a place promoting rest, take the time to revamp things in order to create a sleep sanctuary. I know for a while I had to remove the TV from the bedroom – when my husband traveled out of town I found myself getting caught up watching late night shows just because it was comfortable and I was “in bed”. If you tend to fall into that category of watching late night TV, ditch the TV for a period of time. Put things in their place. Resist the urge of having your bedroom just be a dumping ground for things – creating unnecessary clutter. This will tend to clutter up your mind and make it harder to you to relax at the end of the day – keeping you from getting the best rest you can. Find out what you enjoy – little things that make me feel good and ready to go to bed: A lavender filled pillow (I got this one three years ago for my birthday!) lavender pillow spray (I started using pillow spray with my kiddos when they were about 3 it became part of our night-time routine) candles or lavender scented diffusers and lotion – I especially love this Aveeno calming lotion.
What tip are you going to try tomorrow?
