How to Use Self-Care to Reduce Your Overwhelm

Are you building self-care into your day or week? I see moms all the time running so much that they burn out and get overwhelmed by the mere thought of one more added task/errand. So the question I have for you is are you putting moments of breathing room into your day?  Breathing room can be anything that forces you to take a moment. It could be a 30 min coffee break, a walk around the block, just sitting on your porch. Everyone has their own way of breathing, but here are the rules you need to follow: 

1. Your self-care moments must be for you and only you;
2. You can invite others, but they must be participating in breathing too (no worrying about children, spouses, work, etc. You are there to relax and breathe);
3. Your self-care must be for at least 30 mins, but there is no real limit on how long you should take, but realistically if you are doing this once a day it should be limited to probably 30 mins to an hour. If once a week then you can extend that to 2 - 4 hours. Some even take one full day of self-care. Look at your family and your abilities and work around that but make it happen...shoot you could even say every week it's 30 and once a month it's a full day. The key is don't be afraid to voice what you need;
4. Notify your family/friends when that time is...and that they should not bother you during your breathing time. Even with little kids, you can tell them you are in your breathing corner, encourage them to use that time as their breathing time too. Get a timer or a special chime or music that plays during your breathing time so when they hear it they know what time it is. Think about schools and their nap times and their coordinated events, kids learn fast and they understand what it means when you set expectations and rules for it; and  
5. Don't feel one ounce of guilt. You DESERVE the ability to take a moment to breathe. If you think about it your kids take self-care moments, when they quietly occupy themselves playing a book or vegging on the couch watching tv. You don't bother them...and they are left to their own devices. Your spouse takes their self-care time to do it too...what makes you less deserving than them?

So today, I want you to commit to yourself that you will take your breathing time seriously. Put an appointment on your calendar, have the conversation with your family and friends and then thank me later lol. I'd love to hear about your plan of action!