While I’m sure we all agree that we love our kids more than anything, sometimes to be at our best when we are with them, we need to take a little break and do something for ourselves. Something to revive or refresh ourselves or maybe to just relax a little.
These are some quick and/or inexpensive little indulgences we can enjoy once a week or once a month to keep our sanity intact. Most of them require that you leave the munchkins with your spouse, grandparents, babysitter, etc. for a short time. Note: This is written from my viewpoint (mother) but many of these apply to DADS too!
1. Treat yourself to a no-frills pedicure. It takes less than an hour and can cost as little as $20. They will usually give you a short leg massage as part of the deal.
2. Get a chair massage. You can opt for 30 minutes or 1 hour and do either a (mostly) full body massage or just a foot massage. Whatever floats your boat! It doesn’t require that you get undressed, and a lot of places take walk-ins for this type of service.
3. Take a nap in the middle of the day! Really? Yes! It’s the best thing. If you work weekdays, do it on the weekend.
4. Meet a friend for coffee, tea, latte, cappuccino, etc. and catch up on the latest happenings.
5. Take a walk down a quiet road or trail – by yourself or with your significant other. Look around, notice beautiful things in the environment, talk about future plans, but nothing stressful. The idea is to de-stress!
6. Read a book. Temporarily transport yourself to another world. It’s quite relaxing because you get to experience something that you are not a part of and have no responsibility for.
7. Go to a yoga, zumba or other type of exercise class. Exercise is one of the best ways to relieve stress.
8. Go shopping by yourself. Get a new shirt or a new pair of shoes or just browse!
9. Get a blow-out. If you’re new to the concept, a blow dry bar is a salon that offers only blow-outs – no cut, no color, no chemicals. These blow-on-the-go salons are currently the best trend in affordable luxury.
10. Clean your house. Now I know this may make some people squish up their noses, but personally I find cleaning very therapeutic – if I can do it by myself with no deadlines or distractions.
Pick one and do it! Or if you have another favorite stress-reliever, do that! I promise it makes a huge difference in your outlook and also your patience when you’re with your kids.
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