Nutrition by Dawn - Blog

Everywhere I turn, I keep hearing about how overwhelming this year has been. Between kids at home doing remote learning, trying to work or even run a business, maintaining a healthy household, and having to worry about the health and safety of our families, it can seem impossible to maintain our sanity. A lot of people have had it with 2020. 

These feelings are completely fair and understandable. This year crashed down on us all in a way that no-one could have expected, and that leaves even the most prepared of us feeling blindsided and overwhelmed. Now more than ever, it is so important to give yourself those little breaks and cut yourself some slack to maintain your mental and physical health and keep yourself from breaking down.

Here Are a Few Quick & Simple Ways You Can Work Towards Creating More Balance During This Stressful Season

1. Take a Deep Breath to Recenter Yourself. 

Right now, none of us are immune to that feeling that anything can change at any time. Any time things start to feel too tough to handle, take a few deep breaths so that you can reset your mind and get yourself in a better place. 
Lately, I’ve had to do a lot of this in my own life. I have a 16 year old son who is, thankfully, pretty self sufficient, but that doesn’t mean that everything goes smoothly all the time. Just recently, his in-school learning came to a halt as his school developed a possible case of COVID, bringing us back to remote learning for a few days. Of course, this threw off our routines, and I had to remind myself to take that deep breath and complete my workout in order to be a patient person that day.

2. Give Yourself Space for Breaks.

I'm a firm believer in taking breaks—and that goes for our children, as well. On days that just seem truly overwhelming, there’s no harm in taking them for a little drive with the music on just to clear everyone’s heads. Or get outside for a walk or jumping in a pile of leaves. (Sometimes a 5 minutes dance break in the house will do the trick!)

If everyone needs a break from each other, don’t feel guilty for giving them some headphones and extra screentime while you take some reset time for yourself. Everyone will recover from having skipped out on whatever you skipped out on, and you’ll all feel refreshed from having taken that time to reset.

3. Make Fresh Air and Movement a Priority at the End of Every Day.

My son and I usually go out around 5:30 for a daily walk, which allows us to take a physical break from the rest of our day. For me, this is a great way to ensure that I’m stepping away from my screen and not keeping myself in work mode once the work day is done. It also helps me to shift my mindset so I can focus on the environment around me, the fresh air in my lungs, and time spent with my family instead of in my office. 

Of course, there may be days when a long break isn’t an option, but even then, find a way to prioritize your wellness with a quick step outside, a few deep breaths, or even a moment spent ‘hiding’ in the bathroom to help you clear your headspace.

4. Ask For Help

This year has been full of overwhelming and unexpected moments. No one saw the remote learning, social distancing, work from home season coming, and that element of surprise left so many of us feeling unprepared. 

Now more than ever, those of us who like to be self sufficient and are used to things running smoothly all the time might need to do the one thing that can be the most difficult for us: ask for help. 

When you’re the one planning the workouts, weekly meals, and playdates, it feels nice to know that you have it all under control. And it is also important to remember that you don’t have to be alone in that. Get comfortable with the idea of phoning a friend, a mentor, or a fellow parent, to help you brainstorm ideas and maybe share some of the responsibilities during a time that is a learning curve for us all.

When everything is so wildly unexpected, the days can feel overwhelming, and it might feel natural to put your health on the backburner, but what I know is that - now more than ever, you have to prioritize yourself and your health, both body AND mind. 

During those moments when you feel overwhelmed, remind yourself again and again that this is just a moment in time, and it will soon pass. Tomorrow is another day and opportunity to refresh and try again. 

Have questions about maintaining sanity when normalcy doesn’t really exist anymore? Pop any questions in the comment section! And as always, if you want to connect with other like-minded ladies as we navigate this challenging season, please join me over in my Never Diet Again group.