I don’t know you, but I know you. You’re probably a super parent of some sort who manages to fit in play time, snack time, remote learning help, tidying up, a personal to-do list, and work/project tasks somehow, crazily, miraculously, in every given day. You can physically, mentally and emotionally give to your kids, your partner, your pets even…but holy cow man it’s hard. Finding the time and energy to tackle the growing list of to-dos for your family is basically impossible, and even if you do manage to do it all, it’s not necessarily top notch work if you are utterly depleted. You have to give back to yourself to give back to your family.

We have some quick and easy steps for you to take to successfully manage life in the new normal.

Step 1: STOP DOING EVERYTHING YOURSELF.

…the end.

I know, I know – it’s a novel concept these days. With everyone smooshed in the same shared work/living/school space and all navigating life in the new mask-clad, hand-sanitizing normal, it can be hard to see any other option other than white knuckling your way through the litany of daily tasks yourself just to make it to bed time.

We often feel pressure to tackle this daily work load ourselves, because we are home(ish) and we can(ish). Just because we can (to reiterate, “ish”) doesn’t mean we should.

Exhausting yourself, just to barely make it through the day, is actually a disservice – to our families, our partners and ourselves.

You can’t give what you don’t have – energy, a sense of calm and peace, patience, presence. It’s time to get these things back.

Time and observation has provided us with a better understanding of how to mitigate risk of Covid exposure – mask wearing, taking advantage of the outdoors, proper hand washing & sanitizing, and limiting the members of our social circle. Infection rates have dipped to a more manageable level which allows for some reintroduction of sitters, tutors and teachers. While bringing more physical interaction into your family’s routine inherently increases risk for exposure, half a year into the pandemic means we are evaluating all risk factors, including our own mental health, within the equation.

Every family is different. Every person is different, There is no right or wrong answer when considering what elements of utilitarian help or mentally supportive leisure we reintroduce into our lives and when. Universally and unscientifically speaking though, across the board having 3-4 hours for yourself or for you and your partner can be LIFE AFFIRMING. This goes for you and for your kiddo who also has mental and emotional needs sated by interaction with and attention from new and inspiring people.

Consider someone to help with your kids remote learning, school pick up, an at-home (or at a local park or playground) lesson or playdate, or even, dare we say it, a date night! Safely and smartly navigating this pandemic is a marathon, not a sprint. If we have any hope of making it through this as a whole, healthy human means it’s dependent upon finding ways for ourselves and our families to thrive, not just survive.

So think about yourself for a second (no but really – do it)  and let that be a real consideration for how you move forward – for the sake of yourself and all the wonderful humans who love a whole healthy, happy you.

Check out additional resources for reintroducing help safely into your family’s routine, booking in-person options and more!

For more information, check out curatedcare.com!