Everyone needs helpful tips to stay on top of their chosen occupation. Unfortunately, not all of the advice out there is intended to help individuals thrive and be above average. For the last nine years I’ve stayed at home full time with my three children, and I’ve certainly learned the hard way what works and what doesn’t. After doing some thinking about what ultimately has made me happy and productive over the last few years, I really want to share. Here are my top three tips for SAHM.
3. Stay in Shape
Chasing after young children takes energy, and a lot of it. Even when your children reach school age, driving back and forth to and from school and sports, it’s still very tiring. If you’re always giving to the people around you, you need a way to pause and refuel. Constantly giving care makes your serotonin levels drop- causing depression. Exercise releases the hormones you need to keep your serotonin up. At first, you may not have the energy to get started exercising, but I promise you will overcome that obstacle very quickly. Exercise creates more blood flow throughout your entire body, thus making you feel energized. It also gives you an hour or so to yourself, and that alone provides amazing amounts of energy. Feeling better is the greatest reward. Looking better is a pretty nice side effect as well.
2. Take Charge
I’ve spoken with many stay at home moms who feel as though they really don’t have control over their own life. I’ve been there myself, and I know how easy it is to slip into the thought process of being convinced that ‘oh, hubby is in control, or, it’s the kids, they run the show around here.’ It’s wrong, and it simply isn’t true. You are in complete control. You run the show. Enjoy being the boss, because you don’t have a manager or supervisor breathing down your neck telling you what to do all day. Not only that, but you are in charge of your own schedule and routines. It was truly great, once I finally quit thinking that I had no choices, no options, and no control. I’ll repeat myself: YOU ARE THE BOSS. Enjoy your freedom.
1. Enjoy every moment
This is the absolute number one piece of advice I have for all moms. Time goes by very quickly, and your children will never be this small again. When I had my third baby, I was stressed a lot with homeschooling and everything, but I thank God that I cherished every moment when she was tiny. As she grew, and each month she became older than the last, I would consciously think to myself, “wow, she’s already three months, and she’ll never be two months again.” As obvious as that sounds, it made all of the time I spent with her more and more precious. Prior to this, I experienced a lot of really long hard days, thinking that time was passing to slow. All I wanted was for bedtime to arrive. Of course, you will have days when you feel completely exhausted from constantly giving care, but remembering to stop and enjoy the moment, rather than stressing over it, helps you view motherhood in a completely different way.
