You know that feeling when it’s Sunday night and you’re just trying to figure out where the weekend went? That is me right now. We had a busy couple of days and my stepdaughter joined us, rounding out our family of 6. It was a mix of caretaking, mess-making, free-playing & memories made. I managed to squeeze in some self-care today and it made all of the difference between burnout and contentment.

My 10 Minute Self-Care Routine

10 minutes may not seem like very much time to make a big impact. But, ask a mom what she can accomplish in 10 minutes! Am I right? We can get stuff done! So, why not give yourself the time?

3 Steps. 10 minutes. Unlimited Benefits.

Step One:

Slice up a lemon and pour in your favorite spring water. Take a few deep breaths while prepping. (Don’t skip this) If you take supplements, get those out now. I try to remember to take a pre and probiotic everyday. Rae Wellness is my go-to for gut health support. Their brand advertises “Our pure and powerful supplements are made to shine in a market full of over-priced alternatives – because wellness shouldn’t be expensive.” They offer discounts for auto-ship and first time customers.

Step Two:

Gua Sha. Say it with me, “gwa-sa” This little beauty is my magical relaxation tool and it leaves me looking so refreshed after each use. I take 5 minutes to massage my face and it is heaven. I’m not an expert, but I definitely recommend this article from poosh.com that I found super helpful as a beginner. I purchased the one pictured above on Amazon & keep in the refrigerator so it’s nice and cool on my skin. Don’t forget to clean after each use.

Step Three:

Skincare is one of those things that I used to consider a luxury. I wouldn’t purchase low quality products for my skin, so I thought it wasn’t worth looking. Now, after making it a priority I am sorry I didn’t try to look sooner! I found StriVectin during their 20th anniversary sale. Their anti-aging products help my skin elasticity on problem areas like my neck and forehead and feel very lightweight on my skin. I posted a reel of my application routine here on Instagram if you’re interested in seeing the products in action. Bonus: My husband always comments that I smell fresh after applying. 🙂

When playing with the kids is a challenge…

I’m not a big fan of imagination games. Pretending to be Elsa or Sonic the hedgehog doesn’t exactly make me want to get in there and bond. Do you enjoy playing with your kids? Let’s chat.

When I was preschool teacher, I could always get involved with the kids using manipulatives. We had shelves full of magnetic tiles, bristle blocks, create-a-critter, marble mazes… you name it. As a stay at home mom, I have had to get creative.

The solution: board games! They can double as adult play and learning fun for the kids! We used a set of jenga pieces and set up long patterns to topple just like they were dominos. My 4 year old giggled with joy every time our creations worked out & I found myself rolling around and laughing too. That isn’t a sound I will soon forget. I may not be the best Sonic impersonator, but he loved building with Mom and I loved it too. My point: maybe a little creativity and some carefree time is what you need with your kids. It doesn’t have to be an elaborate activity to be fun.

Creativity comes in handy for shopping too!

I have 3 children and it seems like somebody is growing out of something every month. I usually keep an inventory of who needs what and I like to shop during sales to support our needs. When a store has looks for the whole family, I am a very happy mama. H&M is one of those stores. I signed up for their free membership and I get reward points and discount codes every time I shop.

This week’s H&M order was so impressive that I’m dying to share with you! I legitimately took screenshots of my total right after I purchased to show my own mother haha

Let’s breakdown what $40 at H&M gets you:

3 shirts and 1 pair of shorts for a four year old boy.

1 shirt and 1 pair of shorts for a fourteen year old boy.

1 dress for a three year old girl

1 dress for yourself!

How I saved money on my purchase:

I shopped for items by sorting low to high in each category.

I checked my member rewards to see which deal would allow for the largest discount. In this order, I used a$5 off coupon.

I made sure my cart total before discounts equaled $25 to qualify for free shipping.

I shopped with a list of what I needed for each person. This helped to avoid random add-ons.

Another Reason Why I Shop at H&M:

Sustainability. In 2013, H&M was the first global fashion retailer to launch a garment collecting program in all it’s stores. As part of their campaign to reduce waste, H&M will allow you to donate used garments in their store and recycle them! More details are available on their site.

Browse My H&M Faves

When Mommy Needs a Time Out:

I actually googled that heading and guess what popped up on the first page search:

This is exactly why so many moms are drowning their feelings and not acknowledging when they need an actual “time-out” from the day to day sensory overload.

Sensory overload is real. Let’s start with our auditory sense: I can list almost 10 sounds that I could experience during one moment in my home. The television, Ipad, kids playing, laundry washing, sink running, microwave beeping, music on the speaker, doorbell, a text coming in all at the same time… I’m getting anxious just typing it.

Here’s the thing, admitting that I am overwhelmed was a crucial step for me. Judging myself, being hard on myself or “just pushing through” do not help my ability to cope. Drowning out with wine or staying up too late binge watching tv are also damaging. (I learned those the hard way) If you find yourself in overwhelm, know that you are not alone.

Five Ways, I Calm Auditory Overload:

Eat a meal alone in silence.

Turn the music off in the car and just drive.

Go on a nature walk. No airpods. No agenda.

Soak in the tub and submerge under water for a few seconds.

Make a blanket cocoon and breath for a few minutes in my safe space.

That’s it for this edit! I hope you enjoyed taking some time for yourself while reading. Please reach out with any questions. Until next week,