Who is going to take care of you? No one will take better care of yourself then you. But sometimes, we get so wrapped up in taking care of other people–family, work, and other responsibilities–that we neglect ourselves. We have to change our focus, though, because if we don’t take care of ourselves, then we can’t take care of others. So here are some tips for finding time and resources for taking care of your most precious resource.
First, be gentle with yourself. You are not perfect, but you are the perfect person for your child. So when you make mistakes or find out that you are not superhuman, be kind to yourself and forgive yourself. Ask for help where it is available. Take 2 minutes to slow down and clear your mind. Breathe.
Second, make things as easy for yourself as possible. Have extra supplies so that you don’t run out of something essential. Use a calendar so you don’t have to keep appointments in your head. Create morning and bedtime routines for yourself and then write them down so you can just follow directions when you are too tired to think.
Third, find time for things you enjoy. Listen to music you enjoy as you go about your daily routine. You might have to play your child’s favorite music most of the time but find 15 minutes or 5 minutes where you can listen to your favorite song. Or steal 5 minutes to read another page in your book.
Fourth, find time to rest. Sit for 5 minutes and put your feet up. Make a bed time and stick to it. You are busy and may not think you can find time for this, but you must. Your body and brain needs some down time so your body can heal and your brain can process information. Didn’t get enough sleep last night? Spend 5 minutes clearing your mind and focus on your breath. You’ll feel more energized when you’re done.
Fifth, make yourself a priority. Sleep. Eat nutritious foods. Drink water. Exercise. You may think you don’t have time to do these things, but you must make time for these things. Your child needs you to be the best YOU that you can be. And if you are overtired and undernourished, you cannot take care of anyone else. So pack some healthy snacks that you can just grab when you need to eat and prepare a water bottle. Do some calf raises as you fix dinner and lunges as you pick up toys off the floor. Workouts don’t have to be 60 uninterrupted minutes at the gym, but can be small steps that you add throughout your day to increase your movement.
For more information, listen to The Music Therapy Show episode called Self Care on BlogTalkRadio.com and take care of yourself! You’re the only “you” we’ve got.
Janice Harris is a board certified music therapist in private practice in Dallas, TX. For more information about music therapy and self care, email janice@heartbeatmusictherapy.net.