This post is sponsored by Post Consumer Brands, but the content and opinions expressed here are my own.
I have been feeling sluggish lately so I had to take a step back to figure out why. What have I been doing wrong or what haven't I been doing at al. I came up with 5 tips that are sure to help you feel more energized than usual.
In case you are one of those people that would rather watch a video than read a post you can do so below.
Otherwise continue reading below.
Eat Breakfast
To be honest sometimes, ok most of the time I don't eat anything for breakfast. I sip my coffee but I don't eat breakfast. I mean, how can you expect your car to drive off in the morning if it doesn't have gas. Some folks think that if they just don't eat they will lose weight. WRONG! Actually, if you don't eat for a prolonged period of time your body sends out a signal to slow your metabolism. Your metabolism is basically the process your body goes through to digest your food. So if you have a slow metabolism your food digests more slowly meaning that you will have food in your stomach longer thus that food is not being transferred into the energy you need to function at a faster pace. So in other words, I will take all my meals please. If energy is what I need than I need food. In the morning I like oatmeal, especially on these cold days. One day as I was browsing the cereal isle looking for something new yet healthy I saw PostⓇ Better Oats oatmeal. I bought it and the next morning when my boys and I tried it I became a fan. It's so good and because it's whole grain I get the full energy and nutrition from the grains. Not to mention it has B vitamins which are energy boosters. You should try it!
Take Care of Yourself
We don't always have the time to do our make up and style our hair but let's be honest. I have a better attitude toward life when I know I look good. When I'm dressed down with no mascara and my hair pulled up in a messy ponytail I have a different energy. When I look good I feel good. I have more patience with my family, I'm more energized to clean up the house and do fun activities with the kids. When you pamper and take care of yourself it's a boost in your confidence. Not only in the looks department but also in other aspects of your life like work and with your family. I like to fill in my eyebrows and add mascara. It's pretty simple but it makes a huge difference. I try to do my hair in a style that's really cute but keeps my hair out of my face. I love these gorgeous u-pins from Lilla Rose. Even the packaging that it came in is super cute and fancy. The u-pins are very sturdy (they have to be to hold my thick hair). The design is so cute and sophisticated. They have so many designs it was really hard to choose. By the way, they have tutorials on their website to show you how to use each product. I love them and I use my u-pins almost everyday. Sometimes I use them to actually hold my hair out of my face and sometimes I use them as decoration. Because of their simplicity and sophistication you feel like a put together Mom, not a leggings and dirty T-shirt Mom. And when you feel put together things just come together. And feeling and being together is much better than an espresso shot.
Be Thankful
I know you may be saying well how does that help you become a more energized Mom? Well gratitude can go a long way and take you to very far places. When I wake up I just say thank you for waking up, for legs that work, for anything that I'm capable of or have that isn't promised. You can thank God, the Universe, or your own holy self. The point is to feel the gratitude. Just saying thank you isn't enough. With true gratitude comes a great joy. You suddenly realize that everything you have has value. And that realization is so energizing. You come to appreciate the moments you have with your family because you realize that everyone isn't blessed with them. That gratitude, that joy gives you a high that allows you to climb mountains. Throughout the day, I'm constantly saying Thank You for all types of things that I'm grateful for. As I'm washing the dishes I say thank you for the warm water, the soap and the dish. I say thank you for healthy hands and wrists (which was not always the case). It really gives me the energy and motivation to take care of myself, my people and my things.
Sleep Train your Kiddos
So sleep deprivation is harmful to everyone. When kids don't get enough sleep they are irritable, moody, they lack focus and motivation. Not to mention they are just tired. So helping them learn to put themselves to sleep and sleep through the night will help everyone have more energy. Because if the kids aren't sleeping the parents aren't either. And when parents don't get enough sleep they are irritable, moody, they lack focus and motivation. Not to mention they are just tired. Getting your kids to sleep means more rest and sleep for yourself. That will give you added energy for the next day. I'm currently in the middle of sleep training my boys. They had a hard time going down by themselves so I had to, first rock my youngest because he fell asleep the fastest. Then I would go over to my oldest's bed and rock him to sleep. On a good day that took about 30 minutes. On a bad day... 2 hours or more. Talk about sleep deprivation. On top of that my youngest still wakes up throughout the night. So I'm going to bed late and waking up at least 3 times a night. So far I have them falling asleep on their own but my youngest still wakes up a lot in the middle of the night. He will be 2 in March so he's a little past due on night wakings. Anyway, I got this book called The Idiots Guide to Sleep Training for Your Child and it has a bunch of methods you can use on kids of all ages. Very helpful. I have used many methods from this book and I think that for the two of them the method that works best is the "ignore but check" approach. I basically let them cry for a certain length of time then go and check and I extend the length of time between every check until they are asleep. Now I can go through their bedtime routine and don't have to stay an extra hour in the room rocking them to sleep. I just scored an hour for the next tip.
Relaxing Bedtime Routine
As a part of sleep training your kids you have to come up with a relaxing bedtime routine that eases them into bedtime with peaceful, calming practices like taking a bath, a light message and reading a book. But we aren't talking about them in this section. I think you need a relaxing bedtime routine for yourself as well. Create a ritual that will help you wind down and ease into the peace you need to fall asleep with a quiet mind that is ready for the next day. I like to take a warm shower and lotion myself up because a clean body feels great between the sheets. This is also the time that I take to do things that I only do once a week. I wash my face to remove any makeup from the day that stills remains then I do a scrub on my face. It gets the blood circulating and exfoliates all the dead cells and dirt that might still be stuck after washing. I might give myself a manicure or pedicure. I like to pamper myself during this time because who will if I won't? I might plan some activities for the boys so I know I don't have to stress over it the next day. Then after I read an article or some of a book my energy level is calm and ready for bed.
I really hope this helps you become a more energized Mom. Having more energy for your family can change any family for the better.
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