If you’re a stay at home, like myself, you might feel like you have a never ending to do list. When we’re not managing the kids and their activities, we’re taking care of the dishes, laundry and various household chores that seem to pile up faster than we can finish them.
Or we’re attempting to run errands, which takes 100 times longer with the little people.
Or you’re meal planning, prepping breakfast/lunch/dinner and MAYBE you get to actually eat.
Or we’re playing secretary to our spouses.
Point is… we’re busy. We rarely get to sit down and breathe during the day. If we’re lucky, all the kids nap at the same time and we can finally finish folding that laundry that’s been sitting on the floor for a week because you already folded it all once and the toddler unfolded it with pure joy.
So when bed time rolls around, we’re exhausted…
… but we keep going.
I noticed about a year ago that once I put Krish down to sleep, I would start catching up on all my chores. I didn’t sit down until I got into bed and passed out only to repeat it all the next day. I was burnt out (and pregnant at the time).
Then one day, my husband came home from work. We ate dinner, he played with Krish and I noticed he was SITTING on the couch, feet kicked up and relaxing. He had a long day at work and was unwinding. After we put Krish down, he continued his unwinding session and I continued my to do list. If I asked him for help, he’d happily do it, honestly, but I kept telling myself, “he had a long day”.
Then I stopped and thought….WAIT I had a long day too.
I’m exhausted too.
I want to sit down too.
And guess what?
The ONLY thing that was stopping me from sitting my ass on that couch was ME.
So I started to “clock out”. When those babies are all asleep, I drop everything I’m doing and need to do and sit down. Sometimes I join my husband on the couch, sometimes I take some “me” time. Sometimes I hang with a GF. Because of this small change, I’m not burnt out with two under two and my relationship is stronger because we are spending quality time together a couple days a week.
When my husband gets home from work, we eat dinner and he plays with the babies. I take those 30 minutes to clean up the dinner mess and tidy up the house from the day the best I can. Then we put the kids to bed and the next 2-3 hours are ours to do as we please!
I changed my priorities and routine and it changed my entire outlook on my day.
I realized that if the dishes didn’t get done, they’d get done the next day. If two toys were still on the floor, Krish was happy to see them in the morning.
It is MORE important for me to get those 3 hours to unwind and relax then it is to finish my to do list.
So if you’re completely overwhelmed, exhausted and in all honesty, burnt out, I urge you to CLOCK OUT. You may still have to wake up at night for one of the babes, but while they are sleeping, STOP yourself and SIT DOWN.
Nothing is more important than YOU
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