I am a bit rubbish when it comes to self care. I can think of all the things to do and put in place, but I sometimes fail to follow them. I suppose life gets in the way, we are all busy and we put ourselves on the back burner. Especially when we have kids. But I know it is so important to put myself first sometimes. Not necessary infront of anyone else, but purely at the forefront of my mind. This is why I thought I would make a list of the things I want to do in 2020 to ensure my self care habits actually are put into practice. And I promise to follow up in 6 months time, to actually see if I stick to them!
I am TERRIBLE when it comes to drinking water. I will reach for a cuppa, diet coke or a glass of wine and fail to have 1 glass of water in a day. And whilst I dont think I can down 6-8 glasses a day at the moment, I do need to start drinking more. So for the past couple of days, I have already began my day starting with a glass of water before I reach for the caffeine. I also aim to have a glass mid day followed by a glass before bed. That way I know I can schedule in at least 3 glasses a day. Hopefully more.
I used to LOVE to read. But 2019 didn’t offer me much time to do this, aside from when being on holiday. And even then, with three kiddos to watch, it isn’t easy getting stuck into a good book. So, this year, I aim to read more, giving myself some time before bed to read. I also want to choose 1 night per week where I am not working or watching TV to read instead. I am aready a third of a way into a gripping book, and can’t wait to add more books onto my reading list!
I said in previous posts and I will say it again…I want to spend more time on hobbies. One hobby which I love and is GREAT for relaxing, is jigsaws. I’ve done several large 1000 piece puzzles over the years (all Disney of course!) and I have a Disney World jigsaw waiting for completion! I aim to have it finished and in a frame by the beginning of February, ready to purchase a new one when we are in Disneyland Paris for our Feb trip!
I will admit. I despise exercise. However, one thing I do enjoy is running. I have my wireless headphones and I need to put them to use! (any excuse right!?) So this year is my year for running. I suppose I am a little self conscious, so any running partners, come and hit me up!
One way in which I used to love to relax is in the bath. I’d light a candle, use some relaxing bubble bath (or whatever the kids had in!) and just spend 20 minutes soaking in the tub. Gone are the days of having this luxury on a weekly basis, and now my time is more around grabbing a quick shower before bed. My aim is to schedule this time in to ensure I get some relaxation time. For me, this time will be when Matt is working lates and I know that as soon as the kids are in bed, I can find the time to do this. I enjoyed doing it, so why lose it?
Yikes this is a tricky one. Especially as a blogger. But, I can so easily reach for my phone especially before bedtime. This is going to be hard, but I am going to give it a try limiting my screen time, as I 100% feel it helps me sleep better. Getting outdoors is the way forward when it comes to reducing screen time. Perhaps look at some outdoor hobbies that suit what you love, or hobbies with the kids!
Finally, I new goal for me for 2020 is to spend more time baking, which is what I love doing! I know this will mean more eating 😉 but I really enjoy it. It’s a great way to spend time doing an activity with the kids, and it’s also GREAT for my mind, allowing myself to de-stress and refocus on something else.
I make a habit of practicing good sleep habits. (One is limiting screen time, as I’ve mentioned before.) Quality sleep is tremendously important in staying healthy and positive. The average adult needs at least seven hours of sleep. If you’re not getting enough, the effects will ripple across different aspects of your life. Finding healthy outlets to stress, such as baking or soaking in the bath, can help with sleeplessness. Dealing with mental clutter during the day is another solution. Creating a conducive bedroom environment for sleeping helps immensely.
Still, some people have trouble getting a good night’s rest due to sleeping disorders. If none of the simple solutions work, schedule an appointment with your GP or a sleeping specialist to get a diagnosis and receive treatment. Some sleeping disorders, like sleep apnea, will require the use of a CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) machine to help patients sleep better at night. Others may need sleep medication or even surgery to treat their sleeping disorders.
D0 you have any self care habits that you would like to introduce this year? Let me know below!
Thanks for reading xxx
Hi and welcome to The Willow Tree. I’m Michelle, also known as Shel and I am a mama to three beautiful crazy kids – I have two handsome boys and a wild and wonderful girl.
I really wanted a concrete place to share my love for travel, in particular Disney and offer my readers a chance to gain some knowledge around what we love to do as a family of 5.
I share our family adventures which include days out, travel advice and tips, holiday reviews, restaurant visits and of course, our love for Disney, including Disneyland Paris and Walt Disney World.
Life is about creating memories, and here we are sharing them with you
xoxo
I am so like this. I don’t give myself a break. I feel like I am always working or busy. There is a yoga class over the road from me in a yurt in somebody’s garden, I really want to start going so I am going to push myself to find out more.
Yoga sounds a brilliant idea to begin this January!
This is something I need to do, I always put my family and their needs first before mine. Baking is my time where I do zone out though and I love it x
Me too, baking I love to do!
My focus is your screen time especially as I am a blogger like you. Useful tips here thank you.
Screen time is a biggie! I hope you manage to succeed! x
Arhhh we all need self care sometimes hard with the kids I’ve just started running doing couch to 5K x
Sounds fab – well done! xx