Last year I spoke about how difficult autism parenting can be and finding time for myself even harder. However, throughout this past year, I did my best to find time even in the middle of the pandemic. It hasn’t been easy because I am in the high-risk category for Covid. Even when the stores are open, I am more comfortable just staying home. That’s not to say that I haven’t stepped out to run to a CVS or Dollar Tree, because I have. If you could see my disinfecting process when I get home, you would think I’m nuts. But that’s a post for another day 😊
I thought I’d share some of the things I started to do last year and what I’ve added over the past few weeks to keep my head on straight.
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Starting out my morning the right way is a big mood booster. I try very hard to get up a little earlier than everyone else in the family. It allows me the time to think about the day ahead of me. What is on my To-Do List that day? Whether it’s laundry or working on my blog, I love to have a clear plan for the day ahead. Of course, I do all of that with my morning coffee in-hand!
During this time, I also like to take the time to pray. I do most of my prayers at night, but this gives me the opportunity to say good morning to Jesus and read one page in my book, Jesus Always, Embracing Joy in His Presence, by Sarah Young. This book is a 365-day devotional, that includes scripture and response from the author. As a Catholic, I realized that as much as I enjoy this devotional, for me personally, I’d like to try to find a bible study book/guide that aligns more in with the word of the Lord and not through the voice of another. However, as I said, this book is very readable and I do feel like it is a good way to start my day.
Another way I’ve been staying on track, is remembering to take my vitamins. I understand vitamins may not be for everyone and there are those who don’t believe in taking them. I respect that but, for me, vitamins are a great way for me to add the extra nutrients I may be missing in my diet. I’m so happy to report, that I’ve been consistent every morning.
Shower and bath bombs have been exploding in my house all year! I’m totally hooked! I try to use them at least a few times a week. It’s not been easy to escape my house physically, but a half hour soaking in the tub and enjoying the aromatherapy is a great way to release stress. Some of my favorite bath and shower bombs are from Basin.com. My current favorite shower bomb is the Lemongrass and, for a nice bath, I recommend the Let It Snow (inspired by Disney’s Frozen movie) bath bomb.
It should come as no surprise that journaling is also an important part of my selfcare routine. For me, writing down reflections of my day, how I’m feeling and the things I’m most grateful for, help keep me in check. If you still haven’t tried journaling, I really encourage you to try. It can be as little as a few sentences or a few paragraphs. You’d be surprise as to how good you feel after writing.
It turns out that putting yourself in a “time-out,” just as you do your kids, really helps me reset. Now, I don’t go sit myself down, but I do take a mental break. If I’m feeling overwhelmed during the day, I’ve realized that I need to walk away for a few minutes and get myself back on track. With my husband working from home, this is doable. I take a few minutes to go in my room and just take a breather. It really does help me. I wish the weather was nicer here in New Jersey, as taking a few minutes in my yard to get some fresh air was nice during the warmer months. A few minutes to yourself can really put you in a better place.
An afternoon cup of coffee or tea offers a nice delicious break. I always try to find new and interesting flavors, so I never get bored. My current favorite go-to coffee is New England’s Peppermint Bark coffee and my overall favorite tea would be Harvey & Son’s Paris tea. Confession time – sometimes I can’t decide so I have both!
These are just a few of the things I do during the day to incorporate self-care. My evenings look a little different and I’ll be sharing how I reset for the night in a future post. In what ways do you take care of yourself during the day? I would love to hear in the comments below!
Thanks for stopping by! I would love to talk more! Please come hang out with me on Instagram at @Lovealwaysjoann. You can also find me on Twitter, Pinterest and Facebook. If you want to be alerted whenever I publish a new post, you can follow me on Bloglovin’ or subscribe via email.
