Busy Mum: 9 Cool Ways to Indulge Yourself & Beat Stress

By Eniola Afolayan

The daily demands of motherhood can be pretty hard on the average mum. Worse still, children believe that ‘with mummy, everything is possible’ and she is very much bent on proving them right, every time.

It’s great to be constantly on your toes, working at being your best for your kids. However, you should indulge yourself often, especially in things you love. This relaxes you and curbs stress because really, a stressed up mum does all she has to do, but with a lot more screaming and frowns than is actually necessary.

Find 9 cool ideas to start with:

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1. Be stylish. Are you one of those mums with the trade mark ‘booboo’ gowns, maternity jeans, sweat shirts, no make-up, or do you believe that being a mum disqualifies you from looking drop dead gorgeous? Well, truth be told, every mum can and should look good. Indulging yourself this way is not so much about proving to the world that after the kids you can still look good. Instead, it’s about igniting fiery warmth within you because somehow, looking good does feel really good and come on, who wants to pass on a good feeling?  So, get your body out of every baggy excuse for clothes and get dressed in pretty dresses that fit. It does a whole lot for your self-esteem.
2. Have lazy days. If we insist on a lifestyle of working round the clock, we will never get to actually rest. So, we’ve got to deliberately choose our lazy days when we will get off work and get help to man the home front while we take off to enjoy some leisure for a few days. Find a cool, pocket-friendly place to have quality ‘me’ time without your children or perhaps, opt for some fresh air and food in the village. While you enjoy your mini-vacay, engage in deep breathing and plenty of meditation. Early morning walks too are perfect.
3. It’s all about the nails. We may be hands-on mums with kids but still, somewhere on the inside, we remain ladies who love to get their nails done. So, choose a time when you and some girlfriends can hit the salon for some pedicure, manicure and girl gist.
4. Rub my back. The relaxative power of massage is undisputed. So, paying for a professional massage at a spa is money worth splashing. True, to the mind, a full body massage will all be over in a matter of say, 60 minutes, but to the body, the effect lasts way longer in the days to come. So, without further ado, get yourself to that spa and enjoy!
5. Chocolates are for mums too. In your children’s absence, indulge in some guilty pleasures by bringing out that box of dark chocolate or ice-cream from the fridge and eating it all by yourself! Don’t feel guilty. Don’t get apologetic. Simply enjoy the melt and the swirl in your mouth.
6. Behind open books. As mums, we hardly ever take out time to engage our minds. One way we can easily do this is through reading. Depending on the type of book, reading has a way of taking you out of the stress of your immediate environment and bringing you into a fun, exciting world which was created to be enjoyed, and nothing more!
7. Clean my nest. Cleaning up the home is hard work that drains the body and mind. So, even if you’re one of those against hiring a live-in housekeeper, it won’t hurt if you gave yourself a break often and hired someone to clean your home. It will really go a long way in relieving you and giving you the chance to watch that interesting movie series you’ve been longing to watch.
8. I’m sexy & I know it. Umhm, we may not be the average hot 18-year-old teen but come on, we can still be sexy and yes, it’s not about the clothes this time, it’s about what’s under. The underwear! Get yourself some really sexy bras and panties and try them on, you will never really understand the strong influence of underwear. The question may be why suddenly splash money on tiny bits of clothing which no one will see. Well, here’s why; you will look and feel sexy, you’ll know it, and HE will too.
9. Take my order. It’s great to be this hands-on mum that puts long hours into preparing these wonderful homemade meals. But trust me, by now, the message has been passed across to your hubby and kids – mum can cook! True, they look forward to your tasty meals every day but surely, they would not mind if sometimes, you removed yourself from the cooking business and instead ordered dinner. The hours you would have spent cooking can then be spent indulging yourself in some other fun activity that will keep a bit of stress off you.

Have other tips to help mums curb stress? Share below.