Find More ‘You’ Time
DEVELOPING A SELF-CARE ROUTINE
Make time for hobbies. Most people find themselves constantly juggling countless tasks and obligations. With so much to do, making time for your least favorite activities likely won’t happen; instead, do something you enjoy. After all, self-care is about you! Yoga, reading, journaling, jogging, and meditating are just a few ways to get in some “you time.” If you like it, do it! Plan your self-care time. Without adding self-care to your schedule, your healthy behaviors may get placed on the back burner. Block off time for your favorite activities: Once it’s on your calendar, you’re more likely to work a routine into your day. Keep it simple. Complex rituals may create more stress or anxiety when you should be relaxing. Instead, keep it simple by focusing on relaxing, breathing, and recharging. Go for a walk in the park, take a nap, get a massage, stretch, or take a few moments to do absolutely nothing. Simplicity is the key.
Life isn’t easy — when juggling a career, family, children, social obligations, and housework, finding time for yourself can be difficult. Studies show that roughly 59% of individuals only make time for self- care after they’ve become stressed out. Here are some ways to develop a healthy routine that suits your busy life. Become intentional. When developing a self-care ritual, it’s essential to identify your reasons behind taking better care of yourself and to pinpoint your needs. With a clear vision and motive behind your efforts, developing healthy habits to nurture and incorporate into your everyday routine becomes easier. Create large and small self-care options. You don’t need to do the same self-care ritual all the time, but make it a point to do something for yourself every day. On busier days, you may only have a moment to take a few deep breaths and mentally reset, but on other days, you may have time for a relaxing bath, massage, workout, or pedicure.
Saying Goodbye to ‘Forgotten’ Chores
BY USING A CHORE CHART
Every parent knows the struggle: You try to assign chores to yourself, your spouse, and your children, but somehow at least one falls through the cracks. Maybe your son “forgets” to vacuum, or your daughter “thought it was her brother’s turn” to do the dishes. If you’re sick of the excuses, don’t worry — we have a solution. A chore chart will solve your tidy home problem. What is a chore chart? A chore chart is a supersize spreadsheet that maps out all of your household’s necessary chores as well as who is responsible for completing them. It’s a powerful tool to help you divide labor among family members. You can even place the chart in your kitchen or living room to keep your whole family on track. How will it help your family? First, your family won’t need to waste time arguing over whose turn it is to do which chores. Second, thanks to the prominent reminder, everyone will be more likely to do their tasks on time. Third, with all the duties clearly outlined, you can ensure that the distribution of labor is fair for everyone. Finally, you’ll teach your kids task
management and help them reap the benefits chores provide. According to the American Academy of Child & Adolescent
Psychiatry, your children will gain higher self-esteem, become more responsible, and display increased resilience when facing challenges. How can you make one? You’ll need a whiteboard and a few markers to create a basic chore chart. On the left side of the board, write a list of your family members’ names and their daily chores (for example: “Sarah, set the table”) from top to bottom. Across the top of the chart, write the days of the week from left to right. Then, draw horizontal lines between the chores and vertical lines between the days to create a grid. That’s it! Throughout the week, your family can make check marks in the boxes corresponding to the chores they’ve finished. You can also use magnets to mark completed tasks if you have a magnetic board. To inject a little fun into your chart, use different colors for each family member and decorate it with meaningful drawings and quotes. You can create similar charts for weekly or monthly chores, too!
2 Rinehardt Law | BeSmartLegal.com
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