Taking care of you - self care for parents

Remember when you only had to look after yourself? You know, before you had children and you could take a spontaneous gym class, meet a friend for coffee at the drop of a hat, have a lazy afternoon nap or sneak in a massage after work. Then along came your precious children and all of a sudden there is a lot less time to take care of you.

But guess what? Taking care of you has never been more important. The saying is true “you can’t fill from an empty cup’’. So we’ve put together a list of simple ways you can take care of yourself. It doesn’t matter if you have one minute or 60, there’s something here for everyone.

Got a minute?

Take a breath – Head outside and take 10 deep breaths in. Deep breathing exercises reduce stress and anxiety. When you breathe more slowly and deeply it lowers your heart rate and blood pressure, helping you feel more relaxed.

Drink a glass of water – Keeping hydrated helps to keep your mind and body functioning at optimal levels. Take a minute and a look away from your screen while you take in your H20.

Celebrate the little things – think of one thing to celebrate and let yourself feel that happiness.

Got 5 minutes?

Listen to your favourite song – Get on Spotify and listen to your favourite good-vibes song. It will lift your spirits and make you smile.

Reach out to a friend – send a text message to a friend to chat about work/life/kids/The Batchelor. It can help you feel connected and less isolated.

S-T-R-E-T-C-H – Do a 5-minute yoga flow designed to stretch the body and relieve stress or tension.

Got 10 minutes?

Take a lap around the block– throw your runners on, and take a quick walk, jog or bike ride outside and get some fresh air.

Meditate – Just 10 minutes of mediation can enhance your mental health, physical and emotional wellbeing. Visit headspace to download meditations on everything from stress, to resilience, to compassion.

Write a list –Put the to-do list that’s in your head, down on paper (or phone notes!) This will help you feel more organised and help map a plan of where to start. The bonus is that you’ll get an incredibly satisfying feeling when you get to cross something off the list!

Got an hour? (lucky you!)

Watch your favourite show – Get comfy and watch an episode of the latest show you're currently bingeing.

Read a book – Step away from screens and delve into a book you’ve been wanting to start.

Take a nap – The experts say naps lasting 10-20 minutes are considered the ideal length. A ‘power nap’ offers recovery benefits without feeling sleepy after your nap.