Recently Oli and my Mum have been on my case about taking some time out to relax and not worry about housework, exercise, cooking etc...
I would be the first to admit I'm slightly pedantic about keeping the house clean and fitting in some sort of daily exercise. The term "relax" just isn't on my radar anymore, it instantly translates to "bored". Although because I am always trying to cram so much into one day, Oli does often come home to a slightly frazzled and stressed out wife which isn't fun for anyone. So I conducted somewhat of an experiment this week and decided to note down a normal day & what I would do, and then take a day 'off', doing nothing but feeding myself and B when necessary and 'relaxing'.
A Normal Day;
6am- Up and atom, get Blake changed and set up with her bottle
6:15 - Coffee & Make bed
6:30- Blake breakfast
6:50- My breakfast & Dishes & Put washing on
7:15- Walk + Yoga + Squats
8:30- Hang out washing
8:40- Vacuum (this isn't a daily occurrence)
9am- Mop floors (neither is this)
9:15- Played with Blake/ read books
9:45- Blake goes down for nap
10am- Shower
10:30- Blog & send emails
11:30- Blakes up, make snacks and lunch
11:45- Help Blake with lunch
12:15- Make my lunch
12:45- Go out to get groceries
1:45- Chiropractic Appointment
2:30- Smoothie time!
3pm- Start prepping dinner / B in playpen
4pm- Get in washing, fold & put away/ Blakes toon time
4:30- Bath time for B
5pm- Dinner time for B
5:30- Cook dinner
6pm- Bottle time for Blake, followed by brushing her teeth & then Dad reads her a story
6:30- Bedtime Blake / Our dinner time
7pm- Couple time / crappy telly time
By this stage I am exhausted, my back & heels ache and all I want to do is sleeeep!
So as you can see, toddlers really are huge time consumers. Trying to fit in some exercise & blogging each day is the only way I can stay sane! I could definitely ease off on all the household chores, & dinner doesn't always have to be some fancy shmancy meal- I do know these things, you may just have to tell me a few more times before it actually sinks in.
On the contrary- Wednesday was our "day off". I didn't do any of the above except for feed & change Blake and myself, and I did 1 load of washing as I couldn't help myself. I had downloaded a season of "Shameless", so whilst Blake tore around the place doing as she pleased- I parked myself on the couch and didn't move all day. (Has anyone watched Shameless? So bloody good!)
I took a lot of snaps of B, and Oli must have sensed my boredom as he received a trillion messages / pics throughout the day & he thought it was hilarious.
(Not happy about our day of nada)
The thing is, I felt far more tired than on a usual day- I felt lethargic & horrible. I'm not sure whether that's a mental thing, or whether physically lying down all day actually made me more tired?! And not only that, but the day draaaagggeeddd out for what seemed like an eternity. I was not feeling this "do nothing" business. Not one bit.
Later that evening my laziness continued (snowball effect), and I made a toasted sandwich before heading off to antenatal class. By the end of the day I didn't feel relaxed or refreshed, infact, I felt even more exhausted than usual & like I'd wasted an entire day.
So in conclusion, I think I need to find a medium. Maybe just 30 minutes every day to sit down, switch off & read, or meditate or something... (I haven't read in so long, I'm beginning to think all this OCD could be nesting related)
Maybe it's just not in my nature to chill out anymore, but I do realise its a necessity for my sanity, so I'm going to make a conscious effort to take a breather every so often. The bed doesn't always need to be made, spag on toast is a perfectly acceptable meal once a week, & the dishes can wait.... They're going to have to when number two arrives soon enough anyway. I doubt I will have much choice when I'm trying to juggle two infants!
So that's my dilemma at the moment, over-doing it when I should probably be trying to relax as much as possible. What do you guys think? Any tips on what you do to 'chill out'?
I'm taking some of my own advice today actually and leaving Blake with Oli and heading out for a date with a lovely gf of mine- lunch & pedicures, bliss! (I can't physically paint my own toenails anymore so I really don't have a choice)
Hope you're all having a swell Saturday
Thought of the day "F off heartburn"
Gemma
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