6 Tips For Mom’s Running On Empty

Today is an EPIC day in Team Sprad’s world!!  My wife, Jodie,  finished her first year of Nursing School today!  Let me do a happy dance if you don’t mind…

i am dancing & singing Kool & The Gang’s Celebration

So this has been a long, hard, lonely, busy, frustrating, exciting 9 months.  I have learned to do laundry, cook, get the kids ready for school, book Dr appointments, order contacts online, clean the oven, organize car pool, buy groceries and fabricate tears to show my 5th grade daughter dad can be as compassionate as mom.

After 9 months of running extremely hard, I can officially say that…

I AM RUNNING ON EMPTY

Mom’s, are you tired, exhausted, running on empty, short fused, stressed, angry or irritable?

If so, here are 6 Tips For Mom’s Running On Empty…

• TAKE CARE OF MOM: Mom’s, you can’t give what you don’t have.  Typically,  moms put taking care of everyone else before themselves.  When you do this, you will find yourself on empty and unable to give others what they really need.  I encourage all moms to make a list of what you need to replenish your soul.  You might need a girl’s night out, night alone, hot bath, massage or flowers (without asking) from your spouse.  You need to write these down and communicate them to your family.  They need to know these are priorities for you, so that you can continue to give and serve.
• DELEGATE: The past 9 months have been difficult and there is no way that I could have made it without the help of Team Sprad.  My kids all worked very hard to lighten dads load.  They helped with laundry, cleaning, making lunches and snow shoveling.  You can read my post, SHOULD KIDS HAVE CHORES for ideas on how to delegate.
• JESUS TIME: A mom’s work is never done.  You are constantly changing diapers, comforting emotional daughters, driving kids to practice, making lunches and trying to keep the house from becoming a junk yard.  The reality is that many of these “priorities” push aside “the priority” which is Jesus time.  I encourage all mom’s to stop, get out your schedule and pen in your devo time.  If you are not feeding your soul spiritually all you will give your family is a cranky, frustrated and short fused resemblance of a mom.
• DO NOTHING: I found that while being Mr. Mom I needed to schedule a day where I did nothing.  On these days I didn’t cook, do laundry, clean, read and I even passed on the kids’ homework.  You can’t make this a weekly practice, but listen to your heart and soul don’t be afraid to say no and take a day off.
• WALK IN GRATITUDE: One of the most effective ways to refill your “mom tank” is to walk in a spirit of gratitude.  The reality is that although life is busy, hectic and demanding we have thousands of things to be thankful for.  I encourage all mom’s to keep what is called a “gratitude journal”.  This is a journal where you will write down all the big or small blessings that you should express gratitude for.
• GO TO THE GYM: I know that when I am running and working out on a regular basis I feel much better and my outlook on life is much healthier.  Decades of research has proven that people that are typically inactive can increase their energy level and general health by exercising 30 minutes a day.  Exercise also stimulates the production of endorphins – chemical substances produced by the body that make you feel happy and exhilarated. So exercise is not only good for you, but it makes you feel happy.

I would love to hear from the mom’s out there, what do you do to replenish your soul when you are running on empty?

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