Burned Out Momma Recharge (Perfect for late at night!) -

Have you had one of those days… weeks… months… years? For me it has been one of those weeks. Busy schedules, sick kids, covid is still throwing a wrench into plans. We should be used to that by now, right? Wrong.

Anywho, it’s been a day. You’re burned out, running on fumes and don’t know how you’re holding it together, but by some miracle you are. You have to. You’re mom. And possibly dad, too. Lately, I’ve been straddling the both line, not sure how you single moms do it- y’all are straight up SUPERHEROES.

So you’re wanting to cry, pull your hair out or just run away? Let me offer you some tips that help me pull in the reigns. Ready? Of course you are!

1. Breathe. Set a timer for 2 to 5 minutes and just breathe. Take deep breaths and focus solely on breathing.

Psychiatrists say that taking 3 minutes of relaxing breathing exercises or “mindfulness” each day lowers your stress level and can even lower blood pressure. Maybe those Fitbits and Apple Watches are on to something with those nagging reminders…

2. Splish splash time to take a bath!

Crank up the hot water, grab some calming body wash (not going to lie, I’ve commandeered my children’s nighttime body wash for this purpose) and take a shower or bath. Don’t have time for that? Wash your face then pat it dry.

There is something about water that cleanses the mind, as well as the body. It’s like pushing a pause or restart button. It allows you to step back and escape, whether it be for 30 seconds or 30 minutes.

If you have some bath bombs, bath salts or special bubble bath then use it! These are my favorite bath bombs!

3. Throw your hands in the air and stretch!

Stretching increases blood flow to certain areas of the body. While you don’t want to over stretch and possibly irritate muscles, you do want to feel like you stretched some. This works beautifully if you stretch before you get out of the shower/bath or immediately after getting out when your muscles are still warmed up and have more elasticity.

4. DRINK UP! Water that is…

Room temp? Cold? Hot? Ehhh.. who drinks hot water? Nevermind.

Hydration is key in maintaining mental clarity. If your body is craving water you can get dizzy, have headaches, have hunger pangs… it truly is the glue that holds everything together in our bodies and minds.

5. Lotion it up.

Again with the hydration? Dang skippy. Grab some a scent that compliments your body wash, take your child’s Johnson & Johnson’s calming bedtime lotion, grab some unscented lotion or olive oil (I actually had a college roommate ONLY use EVOO each night and while she was very shiny for a while, her skin was so soft) and rub it in. Legs? Great. Arms? Sure. Feet- BINGO. Which brings me to my last recharge tip…

6. Massage!

So back to the feet- the solar plexus reflexes in your feet are a huge, huge tool in to keep in your bag for recharging. To find your reflex, squeeze your toes together. You’ll see a crease in your foot- then follow the crease to the end, just past the ball of your foot and there is where the reflex area lies. Hold pressure in that area with your thumb and take deep breaths. If you aren’t sold on reflexology, then a good 2 minute self foot rub will go a long way to helping those batteries recharge.

I’m feeling extra today so…

7. Put away your phone/tablet/computer.

Yes, I am aware that is probably how you’re reading this right now, but turning off electronics is a huge part of relaxing and letting your body recharge. If you feel up to it (and have an actual alarm clock- they still make those things, right?), leave your phone in the kitchen or in a different room. Subconsciously knowing that your phone isn’t next to during sleep allows you to truly relax. Skeptical? I didn’t believe it either until I left my phone at my parents’ house a month ago. My sleep tracker showed I didn’t wake up near as much as I normally do and I didn’t toss and turn as much. Try it!

What helps you recharge when you feel like you’re burned out? Leave a comment below!