- my iParenting
- quick clicks
- moms today articles
- moms today q&a
- community & groups
- research baby names
- prepare a birth plan
- content channels
- ip channel rss feeds
- read birth stories
- read parenting stories
- recommended books
- e-newsletters
- safety recalls
- ip diaries
- ip store
- mom of the month
- dad of the month
- editor's letter
- letters to the editor
From Our Sponsors
- e-newsletters
- Sign up to receive our free weekly e-newsletters
- award-winning products
The iParenting Media Awards program helps parents find the best products for their families.
Fight Cabin Fever
Tips to Survive the Long, Cold Winter Days By Cara J. Stevens
It's easy to lose yourself in the duties of parenthood and general grown-up responsibilities, and often taking care of ourselves is the first thing to go when there aren't enough hours in the day. The catch is that if you don't take care of yourself, chances are other things won't get taken care of as well or as easily, and that takes its toll on your whole family.
It may seem as though your day is too packed to take time out for you; however, once you take a good look at your day, you'll find there are small pockets of time here and there that you can call your own. Long ago, someone advised me to take a few moments each day to "find my center."
Unfortunately, it took years before I realized that it didn't count if I was finding my center inside a peanut butter cup or cream-filled snack cake! Let's face it, snacks only feel good as long as the taste remains on your tongue. Once the sugar high is gone, you're worse off than before.
A much more productive avenue is to find yourself in activities that make you feel good about yourself in a more lasting way. Scheduling an exercise or academic class or book group is ideal, but if you can't block off a regular time slot, you can still find a half an hour here or there to talk with friends, read the paper or a good book, take a bath, have a cup of tea or do an exercise video.
Of course, when you're most stressed is the hardest time to come up with creative ideas to take care of yourself. Heller suggests taking a moment at the end of the day to "review your day and think about how it might have been more relaxed, calm and focused." She recommends creating an index card list of things you find relaxing. "When you're feeling most stressed, take your list out and choose one of these things," she says. "Some people even suggest having a relaxation drawer or box with items such as an aromatherapy candle, book, bath salts or a journal that you only turn to at relaxation times, making it easy to have stop points throughout your day."
And most importantly, recognize that this, too, shall pass. After December 21, the low-point of lightless days, the days start getting longer, and you're on your way to enjoying all the wonders that spring has to offer.