Four Ways to Have a Better Day

on April 30, 2009 at 7:00 AM

Finding time for yourself as a busy mom may be as realistic as waking up one morning magically 10 pounds thinner. But according to an article on Parenting.com, there are certain moves you can make to improve your mental health throughout the day.

My top picks from the list, organized by time of day:

Morning: Beat morning moodiness with a balanced breakfast. Use a three-cup formula to make it simple: One cup of whole-grain cereal, one cup of skim milk, and one cup of sliced strawberries or a banana. The combo of lean protein, whole-grain carbs, and nutrient-rich fruit allows the brain to form more feel-good chemicals. Go ahead and sprinkle a tablespoon of flaxseed on top for depression-fighting omega-3 vitamins.

Afternoon: Enjoy some high-tea American style, dah-ling. Drinking a cup of black tea daily lowers stress hormones and will make you more relaxed. Ahhh...

After work/school: Say "thank you." Showing appreciation for the people who help you -- babysitters, teachers, colleagues -- helps improve your outlook and makes you more resistant to emotional upset.

Evening: Romance yourself with candles. Vanilla, green apple, and cucumber scents in particular, have been shown to ease anxiety -- exactly what you need to smell before bed if you're stressed.

What are your feel good tricks? How do you decompress?

Filed Under: emotional health, mental health, stress, time for you

Comments (3)

toriandgrace

on Apr 30, 2009 at 10:49 AM

I take my dog for a walk. It's just so calming to walk around the neighborhood. I do it twice, once while my daughter is at preschool (when I'm not working) so that I get some relaxing alone time. Then I tend to go again in the afternoon, but that's less relaxing because my three year old likes to stop at every playground and pick up sticks, pine cones, flowers, so it's a much longer affair.

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shecrafter

on May 5, 2009 at 2:52 PM

This is great information!

For me--I've found that crafting is the secret weapon to decompress and connect with myself and family. There are some great anecdotes on a new site I found at www.CraftForHealth.com All inspiring stories about the therapeutic benefits of crafting.

MaddieK

on May 5, 2009 at 5:58 PM

When I need to get away and take time for myself, I like to clear out the living room, and turn on ExerciseTV. It makes me feel so good about myself to get a workout in, and its so convenient not even having to go to the gym. This is my favorite workout right now : http://www.exercisetv.tv/watchvideo.aspx?id=600075837