Photo by David Mao on Unsplash
When you have a whole family to look after, it’s easy to neglect yourself. Doing this once or twice won’t have too much of an impact, but if you make a habit of it, you may find that your mental health and well-being start to become impacted.
You want to be your best self when you have a family to look after. To do this, you must prioritise yourself and learn how to take a break and relax. This can be very difficult, understandably. But it is essential if you want to be top of your game and provide for your family.
When you are learning how to cope in a healthy way, you will be a great role model to your children. You will also find that you have a lot more time, energy and patience to be able to do more with your family. You will experience more joy, and your relationships and career will be better than they have ever been.
It is always easier said than done, especially if you don’t make a habit of prioritising yourself. To help you on your journey, here are some top tips to help you relax more and take a break.
Consider what your stressors are
Firstly, consider what your stressors are in your life. This will help you take a more intentional approach. When things make you stressed, you are going to need to take a break and incorporate healthy coping techniques to relax your mind and body. When you can identify these, you know when you should be taking action. You can then also consider preventative action, reducing the stressors and using these techniques in everyday life in general.
Find some things to do that help you switch off
It isn’t always about a trigger and a tool. You should look at how you can incorporate breaks and things for yourself in everyday life. Maybe find a hobby, a game or a skill you can learn, that will give you a break from your everyday life in a more fun and meaningful way. This might mean playing a crossword in the evening or getting stuck into some arts and crafts. These take the pressure off you and allow you to relax naturally. It can also make it a lot more fun and a lot less serious, so you are more motivated to include it in your life.
Incorporate relaxing techniques
Relaxing techniques are a really important thing to learn. You should do these as often as you can. Consider trying different things until you find something you like. This could be some grounding techniques, breathing exercises, meditation, yoga, sitting out in nature, going for a walk, and more. These can all be called on in moments of stress, but also incorporated into your everyday routine, e.g. to help you sleep better or to help you wake up more mindfully.
Finding things you enjoy and healthy relaxing techniques are a great way to help with stress and give you a break in life.