Back to School Moms: Add Balance to Your Life
When your life seems out of control and you've got endless demands tugging at you from all directions, it's easy to feel overwhelmed, fatigued - and just plain stressed! Life as a back-to-school mom can be very stressful, but there are ways to temper your stress and put your life back into balance again. Bringing balance back into your life does not require massive changes. You don't have to quit school, abandon your family or escape to a remote retreat in order to bring balance back into your life. True balance is something that starts WITHIN YOU, no matter what else is happening in your life circumstances.
Here are three simple ways to bring balance back into your busy life as a mom and a student:
1) Quiet time.
One of the first things we tend to sacrifice as an adult student is our personal time. We devote all of our energy and attention to caring for others, multi-tasking, meeting responsibilities and "being productive." Over time this depletes our energy and we begin to feel more and more burdened by our responsibilities. Burn-out is imminent.
Taking quiet time for you is CRUCIAL. You may believe that you don't have any time available for yourself, but you find yourself feeling happier and more energetic, your focus improves - and you still get plenty done! Just a few minutes spent sitting quietly in meditation, soaking in a hot bath or reading a trashy novel for twenty-minutes can do wonders in transforming stress into peace and happiness.
2) Self-care.
Aim to get a full eight hours of sleep (or as much as you personally need) is a great start, as well as eating nutritious food, exercising daily and speaking kindly to yourself.
No time to exercise you say? How about a half-hour walk while listening to notes you’ve dictated to yourself on your Ipod? Or slipping in an exercise DVD so you don’t have to make the trip to the gym?
Plan meals in advance that are quick and easy to prepare and make use of time and labor saving appliances such as slow-cookers and electric grills.
Despite the prevailing attitude, it is very possible to get through your college career without having to “pull an all-nighter.” Start on assignments as soon as possible so you’ll have plenty of time to revise and rewrite as necessary. Getting enough sleep make you a better student, a better parent and a better partner.
When you're really tired or stressed, even the smallest problem can seem like a nightmare. When you're well-rested and well-nourished, you're much better able to handle the ups and downs of life. Caring for yourself is one sure way to consistently replenish your energy, inner peace and joy - which means you'll have the strength to handle whatever comes your way.
3) Flexibility.
Did you know that one of the biggest causes of stress is rigid expectations? We all do it from time to time; get a mental picture of how our lives "should be" - and get really annoyed when our outer circumstances don't cooperate! One of the biggest gifts you can give yourself is a flexible state of mind. Learn how to detach from unrealistic expectations and go with the flow. If you’re a perfectionist, you need to let go all of the notions you have of what you have to do to be perfect. Didn’t have time to make the bed this morning? Guess what—no one will die because of it! You had to buy Billy’s Halloween costume this year instead of making it from scratch? Billy’s too excited about the candy to care.
When you have a flexible mind-set, you're able to deal with crises and problems much more easily because you're not working against a preconceived notion of how things "should be". You're able to tap into your creative problem-solving skills and move through challenges without all the drama and frustration. Tap into your inner zen and be the tree that bends - you're much less likely to break!
These inner changes can make a dramatic difference in your state of well-being, but also need to let go of certain obligations that are no longer meaningful or enjoyable to you. There are plenty of other people who can do a fine job as class mother, or leader of the Brownie troop. Just because you agreed to volunteer your time for a cause three years ago doesn't mean you have to keep doing it forever - especially if it's become a drain on your time and energy!
Be willing to let go of activities that no longer complement your student lifestyle, and you'll create a space for greater fulfillment, joy and peace. Let go of perfectionism. It’s okay to care for yourself and say “no” to achieve harmony and balance in your busy life as a back-to-school mom. You’ll be a better person, and a better student for it.
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