Guest post by Suzy Reading – 5 Simple Self-Care Tips To Help You Deal With Overwhelm
Guest post by Suzy Reading – 5 Simple Self-Care Tips To Help You Deal With OverwhelmAnchor Your Mind
When you feel the stress hormones start to flood your system, anchor your mind on constructive thinking by steering clear of the 3 P’s.
The 3 P’s will rob you of any inner peace. They are:
- Personalisation – thinking you are to blame… e.g. the kids are kicking off, it’s all my fault… I’m a bad mum… No, your kids are behaving like kids. There are lots of different variables at play. It’s going to be ok.
- Pervasiveness – everything is awful! No, it’s just this journey that’s tough or this period of time or this one behaviour. Chunk it down and it will help you get a grip.
- Permanence – it’s going to be like this FOREVER! Breathe, this could all change in an instant, or maybe it will be tough for a while, but it won’t be forever. Hang in there!
Re-Boot
Just like our computer needs a reboot every so often, so do we. Unplug yourself and take a minute to recharge by ‘earthing your brow’. What the heck is this? Think Homer Simpson saying ‘D’oh’…When we are in overwhelm this is a hard wired response – to bring the back of the hand to the forehead or to rest your head in your hands. This is rebooting your nervous system. Take a seat at a table and rest your head on your folded hands for 6 slow deep breaths. If you’re in full scale meltdown, get onto the floor and take a child’s pose. This will help. Beware, small people may try to climb on board.
Micro Moments of Nourishment
Dot micro moments of nourishment through your day.
Self-care needn’t take big chunks of time for it to be effective. Give yourself a moment where you set the intention to carve out some peace for yourself. For one minute, let the ‘to do’ list wait. Consciously scan your body and release any tension you find. Maybe take some shoulder rolls and shake out your hands and legs. Spritz some scent and take 6 relaxed breaths, relishing that the world can wait for you.
When you breathe better, you feel better. We all have time for this kind of self-care and it is genuinely potent! Then re-enter the day with focus and vigour. You’ll get done what you can humanly get done and when that overwhelm starts to rise, repeat this exercise. Do it with your kids!
Chunk Down Your Day
Chunk down your day – don’t do it all in your head right now, that will fry any mummy’s brain. Tackle the task at hand right now and mentally leave the rest until it is required of you. Take it hour by hour or minute by minute when you have to. Break it down and things feel far more surmountable. And as you knock down all those individual tasks (so often unsung) repeat the mantra: I appreciate me. What you are doing as a Mother is incredible. Get good at reflecting on all you are achieving and see them for the true mini accomplishments that they are.
And If All Else Fails…
When all else fails? The one thing we can do?
Put on some music and like Taylor Swift says, ‘shake it off’. Music is an instant mood alchemist, as is movement. It can also distract the kids from their gripes. Have an impromptu dance party or karaoke session. Try something upbeat or seek out some classical if you need soothing.
If you like this article, why not read our posts on how to get back in balance when you’re feeling stressed or 20 tips for a healthier and happier you.
Bio
Suzy is a mother of two, a Chartered Psychologist, Yoga Teacher, and Health Coach. She specialises in self-care, helping people manage their stress, emotions, and energetic bank balance. It was her life experience of motherhood colliding with the terminal illness of her father that sparked her passion for self-care which she now teaches to her clients, young and old, to cope during periods of stress, loss and change and to boost their resilience in the face of future challenges.
Suzy is a contributing editor for Psychologies Magazine, the Psychology Expert for well-being brand Neom Organics and is a founding member of the ‘Nourish’ app. She figure-skated her way through her childhood, growing up on the Northern Beaches of Sydney, and now makes her home in hills of Hertfordshire, UK. Her first book ‘The Self-Care Revolution’ published by Aster, is out now.
Her second book ‘Stand Tall Like a Mountain: Mindfulness & Self-Care for Children and Parents’ will be out on April 4, 2019, shortly followed by ‘The Little Book of Self-Care’ on July 2nd.
Get In Contact
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Image by Callie Morgan.
hi lou! just gone through your post. yes, i found it real. in term of my case, I always feel the Personalisation problem when something go wrong in nursing my baby. I think it will help me to rethink my self. you deserve a tnxs.
Sujana recently posted…Most Common Problem of Newborn Baby- You Must Know
Thanks for your comment. Do you mean that you feel to blame if something happens at nursery ie, your baby is unhappy?
These are nice tips about self-care. I appreciate it.
Miko recently posted…MASSAGE AWAY FOOT PAIN WITH AT-HOME REMEDIES
Thank you for your comment. Sometimes we put our self-care way down our priority list…so good to remember to fit some into our busy lives.