Being a full time mommy at home has it's rewards, to be sure, but it also has it's drawbacks. When you combine the 'staying at home' with the 'trying to work from home' solution, things can get a bit hairy, at least for me.
I find my daily routine going in one of two ways: either I get glued to my laptop early on in the morning and end up more stressed than ever as I try to get my work done and keep my two little guys happy, or I spend the day cleaning, playing with the boys, and shooting my laptop alternating looks of yearning and of annoyance that it is there on my desk taunting me! (really--my laptop is obnoxious!)
I can never seem to find the happy balance that I dream of in my sleep. Ack. But whichever path a certain day will end up following, there is little in the way of changes or newness to my routines. I rarely put on make-up ( aren't you so happy to know that?), or put on much more than old jeans and an equally old shirt. And aside from going up and down my stairs like a gazillion times a day to get a diaper, find a lost bottle, chase the new puppy, save my one year old before he tumbles down the latest climbing structure he has devised, and so on, I can't say I exercise.
So when I read an article about stay at home moms and the ruts we can fall into, I really took note. The author, Kimberly Danger, makes the point that we need to nurture ourselves ( I think we all know this, but most of us tend to 'skip' on the self-nurturing anyway), in order to improve our outlook on life and feel better about ourselves. Kimberly lists about 25 suggestions of things to try to bring some newness to our daily routine and at the same time help improve our own confidence and self-esteem.
I read though her list, and while I know I won't be doing everything on there, a couple of things caught my eye and made me nod my head and say "yea..I can do that!"
So here's Kimberly's list, see if there is anything that grabs you, and guess which ones I did today! I did three things on the list, and I added one not on the list-- Put on make-up! And it felt good too, lol, and it even made my husband look twice (really!).
1.
Invite a new friend over for coffee
2.
Visit a new place in your town
3.
Cultivate a new hobby
4.
Organize a mommy group or playgroup
5.
Try out some new recipes
6.
Check out some foreign language tapes at your library -- you and your kids can learn together
7.
Write a letter to an old friend you haven't seen in a while
8.
Try a new hairstyle
9.
Rearrange your furniture
10.
Volunteer at a local charity
11.
At the grocery store, buy new brands of toothpaste, cereal, etc.
12.
Go to bed and get up an hour earlier
13.
Go out for ice cream and try a new flavor
14.
Take your kids for a walk instead of watching TV
15.
Give everyone you come into contact with a sincere compliment
16.
Play "tourist" in a nearby town
17.
Buy a magazine you've never read before (better yet, check it out at the library)
18.
Write your husband a love note and slip it into his briefcase before he leaves for work in the morning
19.
Bring cookies to a neighbor
20.
Join a new club
21.
Wear an unusual outfit
22.
Take a different route home
23.
Teach your kids a new game
24.
Start a new exercise program
25.
Do something that scares you
