7 easy habits that will make you a happier mom
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Inside: These 7 habits can really make a difference in your life and help you be a happy mom and find a balance between all the tasks that you need to do and the things that you would love to do more! You can use the printable cheat sheet at the end to start implementing these tips today!
For a long time, I felt like motherhood is like riding a roller coaster! There were times when I was full of energy and I enjoyed every moment to its fullest. But there were also times when I felt tired and incapable of truly enjoying my life.
These ups and downs made my life very chaotic. And I knew that I needed a change! I wanted to find a balance and to make more room for happiness every single day.
I knew that motherhood comes with many challenges. But I also knew that I needed to find a way to go through these challenges with a positive attitude and not let them steal all my joy and energy.
One day I was reading an article and I came across a phrase about the importance of habits. It said that the most powerful way to build a happier life is to create good habits and stick with them.
And I realized how true this is! Habits are so powerful because as soon as our brain gets used to them we are able to make them part of our life without a lot of effort.
Think about all the habits that you build over the years, both the positive and the negative ones.
Simple habits like making your bed after you wake up, or brushing your teeth every evening, or drinking your coffee every morning are part of your life without even focusing on them! You do them all the time without even thinking about them.
And they seem a lot effortless than other things that you intentionally put on your to-do list.
Being able to create good habits and stick with them can be life changing! Once you start creating these habits, they will become part of your life and will bring you more happiness and fulfillment.
After I realized that building good habits can be the key to becoming a happier mom, I’ve decided to create a list of the most effective habits that made a difference in my life and that can help you too!
>> Click here to download the printable cheat sheet that will help you implement these habits and become a happier mom
1. Make time for you and the things that you enjoy the most
This is hands-on the most important advice that I would give to any mom! It took me some time to realize how important it is to focus on myself on a regular basis. But once I understood the huge benefits of doing this, I made a commitment to transform self-care into a habit.
The easiest way to do this is to set a specific time to focus on you and stick with it!
If there is someone who can help you with the kids, set a daily or weekly time to disconnect from your role as a mom and do things that you enjoy.
If you don’t have any help with the kids, try to find a time when they are sleeping or are playing independently. For me, these times are: early in the morning, late at night, during nap time, or during quiet time.
I usually use this time to read good books, watch nice movies, take a long bath, write on my blog, meet with my friends, or just go for a walk and relax.
The secret to really feeling the benefits of these relaxing moments is to make them regular. Include these “alone times” in your schedule and treat them as you would treat any important task on your to-do list.
photo credit: Sergiu Birca / shutterstock.com
2. Spend time outside
If possible, go outside every day. Even if you just go out for 15 minutes to take a walk through the neighborhood.
If you take your child to the park every day, use that time to walk and enjoy the fresh air. If you have a busy day, invite your husband and your kids to go out for a walk in the evening.
Spending time outside is scientifically-proven to improve your mood. And it’s also great for the kids!
3. Exercise
I’m sure that you’ve heard several times about the benefits of exercising for both your physical and mental well-being.
But it’s not easy to make time for sport with a child around!
I have never been a very active person when it comes to exercising and having a child gave me the perfect excuse not to do it. But I soon realized that this was not a good choice.
So now I try to fix this! For me, dancing at home was a great way to combine exercising with having fun. And I like that my son can join me in this activity!
We also have a PlayStation game that brought us a great motivation to dance more often and it offers us tons of fun every time we play it.
photo credit: Evgeny Atamanenko / shutterstock.com
4. Ask for help and make sure that you get it consistently
You probably heard the advice about asking for help over and over again. But putting this into practice is a lot harder than it seems, especially if you don’t have relatives or friends that are willing to help you with the kids.
In our case, the only help that I have is my husband. As we both have busy schedules, asking for help is not always easy.
But we found a solution that works very well for us! We sat down and talked about the help that each of us needs and we agreed on a schedule that allows both of us to have more free time while still taking good care of our son.
Having a schedule helps us avoid those endless discussions about the tasks that each of us has to do.
If you never tried this before, I encourage you to give it a try! You can start by setting some “alone time” for you every week and make sure that your husband will take care of the kids and other tasks while you are gone.
As soon as both of you get used to the schedule, you will avoid many frustrations and have more time for nice activities even on the busiest days!
5. Create a routine that works for you
The secret to creating an effective routine is to simplify. Write down those moments of the day that are particularly stressful for you and find ways to simplify them.
Creating a routine will make kids more receptive and you’ll be more in control of how your schedule looks like.
Some of the moments that are stressful for many parents are mornings (especially if you need to be ready on time for work or school) and bedtimes.
Here are some tips to help you simplify them and create routines that work well for your family:
– 5 easy tips that will make bedtime easier and more peaceful {+ printable bedtime routine}
– How to create an effective morning routine for kids {+ printable morning checklist}.
photo credit: Liderina / shutterstock.com
6. Encourage independent play and alternate the time spent with your kids with other activities
One of the things that can easily become overwhelming is trying to constantly entertain your child.
I tried to encourage my child to be independent ever since he was a toddler. Besides using some great tools that encouraged his independence, there was one trick that was very helpful: I always try to alternate the time that I spend playing with him with time when I focus on other activities.
Children need to have the parent’s undivided attention on a regular basis. They need to know that we are available for them and we enjoy spending time with them.
When they get the attention and love they need, kids are more willing to engage in independent activities and they can really allow parents to have time for themselves.
And this works great for us!
I enjoy the moments when we play together and they fill me with joy! The fact that I also get some time for my tasks while he plays independently helps me recharge my energy and be a more peaceful and patient mom. And this makes both of us happy!
Creating a habit of alternating time with the kids with time for your other activities is a great way to find a balance as a mom! You’ll feel more connected with your kids and you’ll also get more things done.
photo credit: Sunny studio / shutterstock.com
7. Be gentle with yourself
As moms, we tend to put a lot of pressure on ourselves. We feel that we need to do everything right and our to-do list can quickly become overwhelming.
But the truth is that we can’t do everything! We need to set our priorities and focus on the things that are truly important.
Sometimes this will mean ignoring the piles of laundry, leaving all the toys on the floor instead of cleaning up, ordering pizza when we are too tired to cook dinner.
There is nothing wrong with this!
Trying to do everything and transforming yourself into an exhausted and unhappy mom is not helping anyone! Your kids don’t need a perfect mom. They need a mom who smiles, who has time for hugs, who gives up perfection and has fun instead!
As a recovering perfectionist, it isn’t always easy for me to do this! But I’ve learned to set realistic expectations, focus on the things that really matter, and be more intentional about the way I spend my time.
If you struggle with finding enough time for the tasks on your list, here are 7 helpful time management tips that make my life easier. They are easy to implement and can really make a difference when you have a busy schedule!
Download our cheat sheet and put all these ideas into practice
Building new habits is not easy! It takes time and determination. But the benefits make it worthwhile!
This is why I’ve created a cheat sheet to help you implement these ideas. You can download it using the below link.
The cheat sheet includes a structured overview of these 7 habits and a template to help you start implementing them.
>> Click here to download the printable cheat sheet <<
I hope that you have found some good ideas on this list and that they will inspire you to make the changes that will make you feel happier and will bring more balance to your life!
More from Playful Notes
- 52 awesome date ideas that will make kids happy
- What helped me become a calmer mom and be gentle with my child even if I’m angry
- 5 easy tips that will make bedtime easier and more peaceful {+ printable bedtime routine checklist}
>> Want to remember this? Share these tips to your favorite Pinterest board!
photo credit preview photo: Liderina / shutterstock.com