Mom down. How does being sick affect you? I hate being sick, especially when it takes over a week to recover, it’s so frustrating. Warning! I’m about to do a mini-rant. I’m fit. I eat healthy, I take all my vitamins and drink my 3-4L of water a day. I do my best. But when a microscopic bug takes mom down, I take it as a sign to pay attention to what I’ve been doing lately. This is my body’s way of forcing me to stop, re-focus and prioritize what matters.
My problem is that I’m a hustler, like most moms I have a million things on the go. I have a massive task list that includes: errands, grocery shopping, meal prep/cooking, trying to keep the house clean, laundry (tons of laundry), chauffeur to get the kids to the Tutor, Piano, Jiu Jitsu, friends houses, and the mall, help with homework, pay bills, manage the budget, etc., etc. At work, I manage a team of trainers, oversee 100 client programs, and try my best to use the correct coloured highlighter (Grrrr) – LOL, that’s my way of venting about the stupid things I deal with at work so you aren’t the only ones, I have a boss too. Besides taking care of my own children, at work, I have seven more “kids” (my employees) that I have to nurture and develop. Then hubby and I have side businesses to manage – because why not, I’m a hustler to me entrepreneurial work is FUN! Now the kids want a dog – yah, that’s not happening! Does your list look anything like mine? Or am I the only mad woman with a list this big – LOL. Now I’m curious, comment below. Seriously please tell me.
With all of this on my plate, can you imagine why I loathe being sick! To some people, lying in bed for a week is pure heaven. For me it’s torture! But it does force me to think about my massive task list. This is a sign. When I burn out, it means my body needs to rest. Once I’m back to feeling awesome, I typically make changes and focus less on the things that cause unnecessary stress. I strongly believe that you have control of your life and if you don’t like something, change it!
Currently the Top 3 things I focus on are:
- Family (my kids, my hubby, especially our parents now that they’re getting older, and my brothers)
- My career
- My passion to help others with their fitness journeys.
Here are non-negotiable things I like to do to relieve stress:
- Schedule “Me Time”. I used to feel guilty about it but now it’s mandatory. At least once a month, I try to enjoy getting a massage, manicure/pedicure, and an occassional facial.
- Weekly Date Night. My hubby is my BEST friend. We take every opportunity to sit back and think about everything.
- Annual Family Vacation. This forces us to take a mind-dump, relax and come back refreshed.
- Cleaning. Believe it or not, I like to clean when I’m stressed out. Something about “trying” to keep things in order soothes me. “Trying” means exactly that. My little one loves playing with her toys on the ground.
We mothers wear multiple hats. In all fairness, my husband shares the responsibiities of taking care of our family and the household. So I consider myself to be very blessed. I have 100% respect for single parents who manage everything themselves. You deserve a HUGE pat on the back, you are AMAZING!!