You’ve got a lot on your plate. If you’re anything like me your mind is going about a thousand miles an hour trying to keep track of this and that and what and when and who and…well you get the point. It’s kind of a mess trying to keep track of everything you have to do day in and day out because there’s no one else there to remind you of what needs to be done. I have felt myself going a little more insane each day, but I have learned a few tricks that have helped keep my sanity slightly more in tack.
First, write things down. Carry a planner with you and look at it often! It can be hard to remember all the little things you have to do each day. Your son has a dentist appointment at 3, your daughter has ballet at 5, you have a project due on Monday. These things are easy to forget if you don’t have them written down somewhere to remind you.
Second, accept the fact that you can’t do everything. As single mothers, we are typically very hard on ourselves. We expect our homes to be neat and tidy, meals (which are always home-cooked and include all six food groups) to be prepared promptly at 6, kids in bed by 9, and the list goes on and on until we finally give ourselves a tiny break to lay our head on our pillow for a few hours, only to get up and do it all again the next day. Let’s face it, keeping a schedule like that is nearly impossible for any mother, let alone a single one. Give yourself a break. You’re doing this on your own; you don’t have to be perfect all the time.
The third and final thing that will help you keep your sanity is taking a few minutes each day to focus on yourself. It doesn’t have to be much, as a single mom, it’s hard to find much time for indulgence, but it is crucial to your sanity. It is far too easy to get burned out by all the things you have to do each day. Take a moment to lock yourself in the bathroom away from the kids and just breathe! Wake up a few minutes early and paint your toes, put the kids to bed a little early and take a bubble bath, curl up on the couch with a new book. It doesn’t really matter what it is, it’s just important that you do it. Trust me, your sanity is worth it!