Life is so busy and hectic, especially if your a mum. But we all need time to switch off, relax and reset from time to time. The time we have available to us though can often only be a few minutes at a time, so its important to find small ways to carve out some peace for ourselves. Here are 5 ways I like to get a few minutes peace when life starts getting on top of me.
1. Read a Book
I’ve been trying to build reading time into my daily habits this year, even if I only get 10-15 minutes a day. Its probably my favourite way to switch off and have some down time to myself (although I usually actually read while feeding Effie in bed in the nights so not exactly alone, but quite time at least). I used to read 40 books a year but since becoming a mum, its been less of a priority, but I really love reading and miss it so I have decided to focus more time on it. You can follow my reading on Goodreads
2. Listen to a Podcast
I didn’t really discover podcasts until about 3 years ago, I used to listen to them while I was sitting in Elian’s room in the dark waiting for him to go to sleep. I found if he could see the light from my phone while I was on Facebook or reading an ebook he would often stay awake so I needed an alternative rather than just sitting in the dark as this usually resulted in me falling asleep in his arm chair! haha! I still haven’t listened to many, but I really enjoy Fearne Cottons Happy Place and have listen to nearly every episode. I have also been told Giovanna Fletchers is very good, so think this will be the next I start listening to when I have time.
3. Play an Online Game
Sometimes if I just wanted a 5-10 minute switch off I find playing a game on my phone or laptop can be a great way to focus on something other than life. Im no serious gamer so I like games I can dip in and out of easily and that aren’t complicated, maybe just do a quick round or level at a time. If Im on my phone I have a bubble pop game and a Disney character matching game. Or if I am on my laptop I usually hop onto a site like Plays.org, I like their selection of old school Arcade Games (Ahoy Pirate adventure, Dino Bubbles and Brick Out are my go to usually) and the game Two Dots, which I remember being popular a year or 2 ago!
4. Go for Walk/Sit in your Garden
Getting out of your usual living space can be the best way to allow yourself time to relax and reset mentally. Sometimes going for a walk isn’t always an option, you may not have much time, or you may not live someone nice to walk around, so just taking 5 minutes for yourself in your garden can be a great alternative. Make a cuppa and just sit in your garden for a few minutes to yourself, wrap up cozy if its chilly or sit under a sun shade if its a bit wet. The fresh air and change of scenery will do you a world of good
5. Check in on friends social media….or enter some competitions!
Ok so this is a bit of a controversial one I suppose as some see social media as a huge time suck on our days and we often find ourselves comparing our life to other. But for many of us scrolling social media can be a chance for us to zone out of the day to day for a little while…and it is a great way to check in on friends, see what people have been up to, or nose at celebrity accounts if thats your thing! If you want your social media usage to seem a little ‘productive’ then consider entering some giveaway on Insta or FB, you never know you might get lucky and win yourself or your kids a little treat. If you follow my insta you’ll see I enter quite a lot of competitions, and I win quite a lot too. Its a fun hobby that I do when I have a spare few mins in the day and I feel like I’m using my social media time well.
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