It is essential for you to make time for yourself throughout your day to prevent exhaustion and job burnout, especially in an industry that requires so much of you. It can feel impossible to find time for yourself with such a busy schedule. Making yourselves a priority each day makes life more manageable and, to be honest, more enjoyable.
When our needs are being met, your more equipped to handle the little curve balls that life likes to throw our way. We show up better for ourselves and the people in our lives; we're better friends and partners to those we love. It's okay to slow down, to say "No" to things that don't bring us joy, and to take care of our bodies, minds, and souls. We live in a world where everyone is too busy, where we try to be all the things to everyone else but ourselves. It's time to care for ourselves how we care for the people around us.
We wanted to share some ways to create some quiet moments in your day where you can breathe and relax.
1. Mediation is quickly becoming a popular go-to for taking a moment to breathe. I have been trying to do this for the last year. Mediation is quick and effective; it doesn't require any equipment or a ton of space. 5 or 10 minutes is all you need to bring calm to your mind and body, and you'll feel like a significant weight has been lifted off your shoulders. We suggest starting your day with a 10–15-minute meditation to set your intentions for the day and to spend a little quiet time with yourself before your day gets crazy. Starting the day from a calm and relaxed place will help you handle any stress that comes your way while at work. On particularly busy days, you can add a second mediation while your nanny kid’s nap. A quick 5-minute session will help bring you back to center and restore your calm. Mediation is a practice of getting quiet and freeing your mind of its thoughts, so you might want to start with some guided meditations to get going. Two apps we love to get you started are Calm and Headspace.
2. Stretching is an excellent natural stress reliever that you can do almost anywhere in just a few minutes. Often when we're stressed, there's much tension in our muscles that can make us feel sore and achy, adding to our stress. Taking a few minutes to stretch can reduce muscle fatigue, tension headaches, and muscle pain. This is especially important if your nanny kids are very active and keep you on your toes all day long. Again, you don't need any equipment or a lot of space to get your stretch on. If you're new to stretching, check out an App called Stretch & Flexibility at Home, it's $19.95 a year, and you can take it anywhere. This app has stretching routines for pain relief, morning warmups, and sleepy time stretches to end the day, to name a few.
3. Good nutrition is vital for a busy lifestyle, and meal prepping is an excellent way to intentionally feed your body in a way that matches your values. When you're busy, and on the go, it's easy to make unhealthy choices when you're hungry. Meal prepping takes the guesswork out of the inevitable question of "what's for lunch?". Making healthy choices increases your energy, elevates your mood, and lowers your stress. Prepping your food for the week usually takes a couple of hours on Sunday, but it will save tons of time. And when you're having a rough day, figuring out what to eat will be one less thing you have to worry about!
4. Carry a book with you everywhere you go. Books are one of the best escapes from our everyday lives, they allow us to be someone else, even if it's just for a few minutes. Reading lets us forget our worries and melt into another world that might be more vibrant than our own. Get lost in the intense world of the Mexican drug cartels in American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins, follow the friendship of Kate Mularkey and Tully Hart in Kristin Hannah's Firefly Lane, or get lost in the romance of One Day in December by Josie Silver. Books are an excellent way to escape the day and fill your soul, whatever your literary fancy is. If you're looking for your next book adventure and need some help, we recommend you check out Reese Witherspoon's book club for your next hot title.
5. Get out in nature! Anyone who knows me this is a must for me. There is a fantastic quote by John Muir that says it best " Into the forest I go, to lose my mind and find my soul." Going for a walk or a hike in nature isn't only good for our bodies, it's good for our minds and our overall wellbeing. Time spent in nature brings clarity, relaxation, creativity, and it gets our blood pumping. If you're someone who lives with anxiety, it's a healthy way to burn off your nervous energy and quiet your mind. Going for a walk is also a good time to catch up with a friend you haven't seen in a while or burn off some of your nanny kids’ energy. Either way, nature for the win!
While these ideas might seem simple and even elementary, they have a huge impact on our lives. Sometimes we don't need to re-create the wheel, we just need to slow down and remember the things that make us feel whole and alive. This list is meant to do just that, remind you of who you are and what you need to be happy and healthy in a world that rewards being too busy, too often.
With much love,
Kyla Lopez
The Nanny Consultant a national nanny agency
and homeschool momma of 3
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