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I think we can all agree that the last 12-15 months or so have been somewhat difficult. Even if you’ve been relaxed about the risks posed by covid, we have all seen our lives turned upside down and, with it, our usual coping mechanisms are thrown out the window.
I learned early on that I needed to find a way to zone out from life and find some new ways to de-stress. Some of these things were short-lived, and as the world changed I developed new ways. I thought I’d share some of the ways in which I’ve found to de-stress as it’s something I’ve had to really work on over the last few years, and is definitely something I need to be better and more disciplined with as the children get older.
Why mindfulness?
Being a Home Ed parent is *really* full-on. You get little time away from your children to recharge and refresh and that is both a blessing and a pain! Sometimes I need silence as I feel so overloaded from the questions and work we have done. Other times I just need time away to think of something other than projects we are working on or new approaches for a certain task.
Sometimes I need to be someone other than Mum.
Being mindful is, for me at least, about taking time for me. It’s about being disciplined in drawing a line and making sure I carve out that time within my week to pursue something purely for me. Sometimes that moment is when I clean my skin in an evening; those 10-15 minutes of looking after my skin (with Medik8 skincare products) allows me time to just focus on me, if only for a short time and to recount the day and prepare for bed.
Tackling the To-Do list
As a homeowner the to-do list is never-ending! For me, I try and prioritize the things that are either quick wins or will, longer-term, make things easier. For example, we have an issue with a leaking radiator which necessitates a regular check and fix of it. Fixing this and replacing it with a new one from Trade Radiators is a quickish win that alleviates a regular job and removed yet another task in my life. Getting into a routine of making sure the pots are cleaned and put away at night means I come down to a clean and fresh kitchen each morning.
Simple things like that clear the mind and help set each day up well.
Bigger tasks like replacing flooring or re-painting a room can be tackled as and when the time arises but look for the quick wins and make those changes for longer-term impact.
Turn off the Phone!
I’ve written about this before but simply leaving my phone downstairs at night means I am not scrolling before bedtime. It leaves me with a clearer mind. I’m not scrolling through the news (which is always depressing or anxiety-inducing) and instead can focus on something else.
Just seeing notifications and emails queueing up can add to your mental load and it’s far too easy to end up in a rabbit hole on social media or internet sites and one more click or one more article soon turns into many many more.
Embrace Reading
I have always read but the last year has seen me rekindle my love of reading. Reading is a great way for me to wind down and if it’s been a full-on week I will often have an hour in the afternoon where we all sit and read. Just absorbing ourselves in a book and heading into a different world is really great for recentering energy and priorities. It calms us all down and provides a welcome distraction.
I also read, every night, before I go to sleep. Sometimes it’s only a few pages and other times it’s many more. But reading helps to settle my mind and aids my sleeping.
Get creative
I am a big advocate of finding a creative activity that works for you. Creating uses different parts of the brain and whether that be writing, drawing, needlework, painting, or building lego, it’s always worthwhile. I have really enjoyed learning to embroider over the last year and love the items I have made. I have also started to enjoy cross-stitching again. Whilst it’s not the most glamourous of things I find the following a pattern and repetitive nature of the stitches really allows me to zone out and forget about the day that’s been and the day ahead; I can only focus and be in that moment.
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