Do you ever have days or nights when you feel absolutely and completely physically and mentally exhausted? If you do, do you wonder how a person so small could cause an adult to become so exhausted? You are not alone. At least one other person (me) experiences this, from time to time.
As much as it may seem that the nature of toddlers themselves is the reason that parents can become physically and mentally exhausted, that is just part of the larger picture. It does take a lot of energy to play with toddlers, keep them fed and safe, and offer a running commentary on what you are doing as you navigate your day with your toddler by your side. The reason that we often find ourselves running out of physical and mental energy is that we are using it in abundance yet we are not replenishing it.
Replenishing my own energy reserves so that I can have plenty of energy to devote to my kids as well as my work and personal pursuits after they go to bed is a goal of mine. It is something that I have known for a while that I should do, yet I have not been able to make it happen. Today, I looked around for ideas that could help me to replenish my energy reserves. I will share those ideas below, and in the coming days I will share with you whether they have helped me any.
Some suggestions that I have found for replenishing one’s own energy reserves include getting seven or eight hours of sleep each night, drinking enough water, and eating mostly nutritious foods. I don’t know about you, but I can see a lot of room for improvement in my life with these three items alone. Other suggestions include reading, exercising, painting, gardening, or anything else that “feeds the soul”.
What do you do to replenish your energy stores?
Photo by dieraecherin on morguefile.com.