If you ask me my self-care routines, I will be stumped. To say it is erratic will be an understatement at best. There are days when I take out the time (and have the luxury) to go for a Cleopatra-like bath complete with skincare packs, milk bath and hair conditioning. But those are very, very rare.
Being a stay-at-home mum means wearing many hats at the same time. And the one that looks after the self generally stays down on the list, way down. Having said that, as time goes by and the grind we put our bodies through in our careless youth seem to be catching up, I have now become more conscious of the necessity of putting in some basic routines in place.
Reminding myself to have more water, a half-hour siesta, quick squats as the bath water fills, even a weekly face pack, are surprisingly easy to fit into any routine. And not only does it make me look good, but also feels incredible to be doing something that is just for myself.
The 45-minute walk post dropping off the kids to school is my essential ‘me-time’. Listening to bird sounds, thinking things through or just looking at the world passing by can be very calming. I like to follow it up with another 45 minutes of yoga—some basic poses such as cat-cow, bal-asana, tree pose, planks and breathing exercises.
And then there is the mind. After reading about the many benefits of meditation, especially for the brain, I am trying build it into a routine, every morning at least. Solving a Sudoku on the go is another high that I tend not to miss.
It is a constant effort, no doubt, but one that is very rewarding. Life is as stressful as we allow it to be. It is freeing, and calming, to realise this.