Trying to manage the everyday tasks of parenting alone can be taxing on anybody. It can be unbelievably stressful and if you’re not careful you can easily find yourself burned out before your day is through. It is crucial to take a little “me time” each day to collect your thoughts and unwind a little bit. The more stressed you are, the more stressed your little ones will be.
One of the most therapeutic things you can do is breathe. Once a day, or more if you are feeling particularly stressed, take some time out to simply breathe in and out. Close your eyes and clear your mind, only focus on your breathing, you’d be amazed how much more relaxed you feel after a few deep breaths.
Indulge yourself in some dark chocolate. Why? Dark chocolate has the perfect combination of fats, sugars, and chemicals to stimulate your brain to release endorphins. The sugar also stimulates the brain’s production of the chemical serotonin, which boosts your mood, causing your stress levels to decrease.
When you are feeling particularly stressed find a way to turn the negatives into positives. Your son woke up sick and you have to call in sick to work to take him to the doctor? Be thankful that we live in a time of modern medicine where he can get the help he needs. You might even get a minute to read that book you’ve been dying to read while you’re little one is resting up on the couch. It’s not very fun to have a sick child, but there’s some silver lining in everything. Try focusing on that rather than stressing about things you have no control over.
Once a week take some time to really pamper yourself. Most single moms don’t have a lot of spare change, but pampering doesn’t have to cost a lot of money. Instead draw a bath, light some candles, and paint your toe nails. It gives you some time to relax and getting dolled up every once in a while helps boost your self-esteem. It’s tough being a single parent, but if you give yourself some time to unwind at the end of the day it makes all the chaos just a little bit easier.