Mom, you rock! Amidst all the daily hustle and bustle, you manage to get laundry done, prepare meals, get kids to and from activities, maintain a household schedule, and even take a shower once in a while. How do you do cope with all the distractions and still get it done?
The average mom feels like she has 150 activities and tasks to perform every single day. That type of schedule can make the most competent CEO crazy with stress and anxiety. While most mothers feel they do an adequate job with their daily grind, we all have areas in which we could improve. We have likely suffered those “mom” moments where we find ourselves starting a meaningless task and wondering why, or walking into a room and forgetting why your trajectory led you there in the first place.
Moms are under an enormous amount of stress to make all household, family, and career activities run smoothly. Signs that you may be experiencing too much stress include:
- You have sleep disturbances and a lack of energy during the day
- You are always in a bad mood
- Experiencing food cravings
- You have tension in your head, neck, and shoulders
- You get sick often
- You’ve distanced yourself from all other relationships
- You seemingly have no downtime
All of this stress can lead to an almost constant state of distraction. You are not a present parent when you are running around, making lists, and starting tasks without completing them. Do you want some relief from a hectic lifestyle?
Here are some expert tips from therapists that allow you to refocus your energy, reduce daily distractions, and be more productive, happy, and relaxed. So let’s cut those distractions and create a better life for you and your family with these simple steps:
Tips to Help Moms Cope With Daily Distractions
1. Model more, teach less
You are not the only one suffering from distractions in your household. Indeed, your children learn more effectively if you stop yammering at them and start modeling the types of behavior that you want them to emulate as they grow.
Children learn best from modeling. That’s because they will feel even more connected to you in those precious moments of learning together and watching your exemplary behaviors.
2. Put your cellphone down!
While technology is useful, and it enhances our lives in significant ways, there is nothing more damaging to a parent/child relationship than being stuck on a screen all day. Eliminate the potential distractions of texts, calls, and social media by putting your cell phone down and creating some quality time with your kiddos. They are only young once; you are creating precious memories with them that will set the stage for their future healthy relationships with people and technology.
3. Practice mindfulness in everything you do
You don’t have to meditate for hours on end to learn to tune out distractions. You can begin to bring mindfulness to your day by paying attention to small moments. Appreciate warm, soapy suds on your hands as you wash the dishes. Take in the fresh smell of spring as you open the door to take out the trash, sit down, and look your children in the eyes as they tell you about their day at school. Slow down your mind, your heart, and connect with the world around you through deliberate action and appreciation for all your life brings you.
4. Don’t overdo the list-making
It feels incredible to set daily and weekly goals, crossing them off as you accomplish them, but even the act of list-making can contribute to distractions.
Moms should keep two lists. First, develop set a realistic list of things you can accomplish daily. Then, keep a separate list of long term goals tucked away somewhere that you can refer to you when you create a little more time for it.
Relish those days that you can cross everything off your daily list. Additionally, remember to take some time out for yourself and your family to celebrate. Keep your mind focused on where you are and what you are doing, rather than on the goals that you haven’t yet accomplished.
5. Focus on what you can control, let go of the rest
The world is crazy right now. Trying to keep up with current events and processing all that it means for you and your family can be stressful all by itself.
Eliminate the distractions of daily news and media that don’t immediately concern you. Instead, focus on what you can do to change your little corner of the world, and let the rest go…..for now. You can save the world another day.
6. Be productive and organized
Are any of us as organized as we would like to be? Clutter in your home adds to the many distractions of life, and it can cause mental and emotional stress to be surrounded by chaos.
You can bet that it’s realistic to clean your entire house from top to bottom in a day. However, you can do a little something each day to avoid becoming overwhelmed by stuff—paperwork, toys, belongings, clothing, and all of the many things that we accumulate on our journeys.
Small steps in a positive direction will keep you organized and moving forward with creating a tidy home for everyone. While you’re at it, involve the kids and teach them the value of keeping an orderly and clean house for better mental, physical, and emotional health.
7. Make work time fun!
Focused work time for everyone can be fun! Eliminate the distractions of different schedules, technology and screen time, and moving in different directions by scheduling a family project that everyone can feel good about completing.
So clean out the garage on a beautiful day and follow it with a family barbecue. Or, take an inventory of old toys and make a trip to the local donation center to clear out the clutter. Your whole family will grow to appreciate the value of work and what it can do to create a better environment for all of you.
8. Create one-on-one time with each child
It might be challenging to schedule time with each of your children, but it is vital to show them that you care and are invested in each of them as an individual.
Tune out all other distractions and focus on getting to know these fantastic people in your life. Instead, consider taking a neighborhood walk, share an ice cream cone, or even read a good book at the end of the day. Those are all easy ways to incorporate relationship building time with your loved ones.
9. Give yourself a break!
Life is difficult, and the demands on your time and energy are many. You need a break just as much as anyone else does; with the many tasks and distractions that threaten your 24 hours, you need to carve out some time for yourself to avoid burnout. Make yourself a relaxing cup of tea or coffee, steal away for a stress-reducing workout, or sit down for a few precious minutes to quiet the mind and soothe the soul. Regardless of how you choose to nurture yourself, you need to recharge your batteries to have the energy and resources to give back to others.
10. Practice self-care
Addressing your individual needs is critical for you to be able to be present with family and friends when the occasion calls for it. Refuse to feel guilty, for your children are watching you prioritize yourself so that you can give back to others. So what are you waiting for? Schedule that massage, make that appointment for a soul-nurturing gal pal luncheon. You’ll come back refreshed, rejuvenated, and ready to take on anything that life throws at you.
11. Learn to say no
It’s okay to under schedule your kids—and yourself, for that matter—in the interest of creating better mental and emotional health. When we have too much to do, we become frazzled, stressed, and all the distractions of life get the best of us as we rush from place to place, attempt to balance home, work, and family life, and keep up with all of the demands placed upon us.
Learning to say no is a potent skill. Furthermore, it is one that can help you to achieve that balance and peace that you are looking for in life. Think long and hard about taking on commitments, and only say yes to those things that will add value to your own experiences as well as the lives of others.
Final Thoughts: We get one chance
We get one incredible chance to rear our children, and succumbing to the distractions of life too often will mean that we miss out on many precious moments that could be created with family and friends. Becoming a conscious, intentional parent is one of the hardest roles we maintain on this planet, but it is also one of the most rewarding experiences we can have. So embrace every moment that comes your way. Also, give yourself a bit of grace and compassion, and look forward to all of those beautiful moments that are coming your way!
