Nowadays, parents have their hands full, raising children, managing careers, running a household, with no end in sight. This hectic lifestyle offers little room for leeway, even when exhaustion starts to set in.
Unless changes are made, the situation will not improve and feelings of exhaustion may develop into more serious health issues. Fortunately, curbing exhaustion may be a matter of tweaking a few different areas in your daily routine, like your diet and how you manage your time.
The Changing Landscape of Parenthood
In today’s ultra-modern age, having children in your late 30s or early 40s is not so unusual. The heavy emphasis placed on education and career forces many adults to become financially stable before having children.
Whether you’re raising toddlers in your late-30s or teenagers in your mid-40s, the physical and emotional toll this takes can be utterly exhausting.
There’s yet another trend that’s been gaining steam over the last decade. As of 2015, as many as 24 million young adults, aged 18 to 34, still live with their parents.
That’s a whopping one-third of the young adult population.
Again, this type of living arrangement can be just as exhausting. The good news is there are things you can do to lift the cloud of exhaustion and lighten your load.
Ways to Curb Exhaustion
The Old Adage – “You Are What You Eat”
As cliche as this old adage may sound, there’s just no getting around it when it comes to feeling healthy. Granted, your schedule is no-doubt busy with kids, work and everything else going on.
So, the convenience of delivery services or hitting the fast-food drive-thru fits neatly into your schedule.
While it may not be possible to change your diet overnight, you can take little steps towards eating foods that energize the body. Eating healthy snacks can help, especially during the day when energy levels are at their lowest.
Drinking a green juice supplement offers another highly effective way to supply the body with the nutrients it needs to handle a hectic lifestyle. By taking little steps, you will see what a difference healthy foods make and in the process, retrain your body to crave healthy foods.
Regular Exercise
Exercising may seem nonsensical when you’re already exhausted. However, physical activity not only increases your energy levels but also boosts your mood. Since time and energy are limited as a busy parent, incorporating more physical activity into your existing schedule offers the least disruptive way to develop an exercise routine.
For instance, walking with your child instead of driving to nearby destinations, such as to the park or school, offers an excellent way to exercise regularly. Taking the stairs instead of the elevator or taking a longer route when walking offers other ways to be more active on a day-to-day basis.
“Me Time” Is Essential
If you’re like most parents with a career, being the best you can be in both of these areas is important to you. The fact of the matter is, it’s near impossible to do this when you’re exhausted half the time.
Blocking out some “me time” to reconnect with yourself enables you to reset, recharge and actually enjoy the life you have, which can go a long way towards curbing exhaustion. Reconnecting can be as simple as taking a daily stroll in the park or visiting your favorite haunt, be it a coffee shop or bookstore.
A Good Night’s Sleep
After ripping and running all day, it can be difficult to settle into sleep mode once nighttime rolls around. Taking steps to ensure you’re getting a good night’s sleep is a must for curbing exhaustion.
Sleep is the only time the brain and body have to heal and recover from the day’s activities. While it may not be practical to try to force yourself to sleep, there are steps you can take to encourage a restful night’s sleep, including:
- Avoid consuming caffeine-based drinks four hours before bedtime,
- Reserve the bedroom area for rest, so no eating or watching TV before turning out the lights,
- Avoid napping during the day, as this can make it difficult to sleep at night, and
- Train the brain to wind down by establishing a routine before going to bed.
Build a Support System
The old saying, “it takes a village to raise a child” couldn’t be truer in today’s world. Parents who try to be everything to everybody soon discover there’s only so much of them to go around.
For these reasons, having a support system in place not only helps curb exhaustion but allows you to be better at what you do.
On days when you’re at your wit’s end, try reaching out to your existing support system, such as your spouse. If necessary, seek out new supports, such as a babysitter or nearby relatives.
One other way to relieve the pressure is to get involved with one of the many online communities for parents. Sometimes just being able to vent with other parents going through the same thing can help you feel like you’re not alone.
Accentuate the Positive
If solving problems and putting out fires takes up most of your day, it can be hard to see the positive, let alone focus on it. As crazy as things may seem at times, there’s always something to be grateful for.
Making it a point to acknowledge your strengths, small successes and the blessings you already have can go a long way towards curbing exhaustion and raising a healthy family. Read on to discover ten interesting ways to have a happier healthier family.
