I do not exaggerate when I say single moms are heroes. I know many single mothers and each of them deserves our deepest admiration. They carry great weights on their backs – a bundle of responsibilities that seem impossible to follow from many people’s point of view. I asked a few single moms, “How do you take care of yourself?”
Now, balancing work, house chores and kids responsibilities doesn’t leave them much time for relaxation and me-time. And if anyone deserves more time to relax, it’s is every single mom on Earth. I have done a little research and talked to many single moms. The results are below – it’s a list of tricks single moms use to steal some more me-time.
How single moms restart their energy
Asking for a helping hand to get a day off.
Some moms I talked to are still in safe contact with the children’s fathers and insist that fathers should have their own days with the kids. Those who are not in touch with their former partners usually ask their parents, siblings or relatives they trust to take care of the children for the day.
Finally, those who don’t find any family members who can help usually rely on their best friends. And, why not, you can find a trustworthy babysitter ready to help you on a regular basis when you need some time off.
So, go ahead, ask someone to replace you for a day – they will probably be happy to help you and see you recharging your batteries.
Eliminating unnecessary activities.
Many single moms engage in more activities than they actually want to. They end up wasting their energy on community volunteering for a cause that doesn’t even interests them that much. Or they might be helping people they don’t even like just because they are too kind to say no. Or sometimes they might attend pointless courses just because they got a leaflet promising them a discount if they apply now.
Most of the single moms who claim they have managed to increase the amount of their me-time actually had to think hard and see which activities are simply too much for them. When you embark on that journey, it is essential to be honest to yourself.
Restructuring your daily habits.
Interestingly, some single moms claim that their schedule became much looser when they restructured their shopping habits.
They started buying in bulk during a monthly shopping day to avoid day-to-day troubles with too much time spent in the supermarkets. They advise creating a detailed list of essentials you can use every month.
Another thing single moms advise when it comes to restructuring routine is doing chores along the way. Instead of spending an entire day cleaning the house and ending up exhausted, you can do a chore a day. 15 minutes of dusting or vacuuming won’t suck out all of your energy.
Also, try the same principle with the dishes – instead of washing a pile after the entire day, try washing those few plates after every meal.
Leaving work at work.
A couple of single moms I talked to said they bring their projects home or have to continue email communication from their own living room.
With the kids being their priority, once they are done working, they spend time with their little ones, and they don’t have any time left to do something nice for themselves – have a bubble bath, read, watch TV, anything.
One of them had an open conversation with her boss, clearly stating she is in a position when she cannot work after she goes home. Luckily, her boss showed a decent understanding of her situation.
Now, not every boss will be as kind as this one. If work starts “eating” all of your time, try to find some other career options that will allow you more space.
Pampering yourself.
Many moms, single or not, neglect their own needs for two reasons – time and money. When it comes to money, one single mom advises checking your finances twice. See where you can make some cuts and devote this budget for a little something to treat yourself with, be it some makeup, spa treatment, a book or a night out.
When it comes to time, start a tradition of weekly or at least monthly “me-day”. Go back to the first tip – ask for a helping hand, and once you get a free day, use it to the max.
It’s challenging but it is doable to take care of yourself.
Finding more time to take care of yourself is also an investment in your parenting skills because parenting takes energy, and you cannot have energy if you don’t pause your routine every once in a while.
What are your best tips for single moms? Share them with us in the comments!
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