Finding Motivation, TMI Tuesdays

Hello Lovely.

Today is a little different here.

This is the first of what I hope to be a series of posts. Every Tuesday.

TMI, stands for the normally perceived “too much information.”

This is the kind of post that I’m going to care less about cohesive photography, and more about words and their meaning. Describing emotions, events, feelings, or rambling ideas with no remorse.

Not every post will be sappy or motivational. Each will merely touch on daily dwellings. You know what I’m talking about! The things that keep us up at night. The arguments we’ve won in our heads ten years later. The things we wish we would have said or done differently. Or maybe, just the reassurance that it’s okay to feed your kids cereal for lunch.

I don’t know who needs to hear that last one, but it is perfectly okay to feed your kids cereal. Someone had to remind me that once. Some days we’re drained and lucky to still be functioning in some way. Cereal will suffice.

But, that’s not going to be our focus today. Today, we are going to focus on motivation.

It’s a weird season of life here in 2020.

Coronavirus has swept the world and we’re in lockdown. The days of getting up early, dressing for work, dropping the kids off at school, running to the mall, meeting up with the girls for drinks, or making time in your schedule for a color touch up are halted until further notice.

You’re home. In your pajamas. Your roots are showing through. The kids are driving you crazy. You haven’t put a bra on except to grab the mail or go on your daily walk. Working out seems pointless when you can’t find any alone time. Day drinking seems irresponsible, especially if you’re holding down the fort without your significant other. All the snacks are gone, and you know it isn’t only because of the kids. And you don’t remember having so much laundry.

Motivation is lacking. It’s lacking in all of us. You’re not alone.

Now, I just want to let you in on a secret. This is my every day life. Justin is still working, including weekends. I am here. Without motivation. Every. Single. Day.

I have learned a few things being a stay at home mom. These are important things that need to happen at least three times a week to keep myself sane, so I am sharing them with all of you now.

Creating Your Motivation

• Come up with some sort of daily routine.
  • For the kids.
    • If you have school aged children, they will most likely have some sort of laid out schedule sent home from their teacher. Use this as your time frame.
    • If you do not have school aged children (like ME!!), you will have to come up with some kind of schedule. I have shared mine with you to give you some inspiration. Feel free to change it up according to your kids’ daily activities and hours. (It’s okay if your day doesn’t always go this way. Ours rarely does, but it helps to have some sort of structure.)
  • For yourself.
    • Don’t wear yourself thin. You don’t need to clean your house top to bottom every single day. If you can, more power to you, but my house always looks like I’m losing a game of Jumanji.
    • Try to stick to 1-3 accomplishments a day. This will all be decided by the age of your children, and whether or not they will take a nap.
      • This means each load of laundry is one accomplishment. Don’t try to do all of the laundry and clean all of the bathrooms and clean out your closet.
      • You have an entire month to get the house perfect, if that’s your goal. If you’re really ambitious, do two small keep up tasks like laundry and dishes. Then add a big job, like deep cleaning the car. Don’t feel bad if your house is messy. We’re social distancing, nobody is coming over.
• Get dressed.
  • This may sound silly to you. But I spend a lot of days home in my pajamas. If comfort is key, invest in a few loungewear sets. I will have a post on this later this week for inspiration and ideas.
  • To my ladies, do your hair. If simplicity is all you’re going for, just brush it. Don’t just toss it in a messy bun every day and let your roots grease up.
  • Put on some makeup. Maybe its only mascara or a little bit of concealer. Whatever you decide to put on will make a world of a difference in your mood.
• Get some air.
  • Too much time in the house is going to make you stir crazy. We have been guaranteed time to get some fresh air as long as we follow the rules of social distancing. Do it.
    • Go on a family walk once a day. (We go as soon as Justin gets home. Some days he doesn’t get home with enough daylight, so we make it one time around the block. It’s still worth it.)
    • Let the kids play with chalk on the driveway or sidewalk if you don’t want to walk.
  • In an apartment?
    • Spend some time on your balcony.
      • Eat a meal.
      • Have a drink.
      • Read a book.
      • Do some work.
      • Do yoga or workout.
    • No balcony? No problem!
      • Open a window to let the fresh air in.
        • Do yoga or workout next to the open window.
      • Go spend time in your garage with the door open.
      • Take a walk.
        • If you don’t feel safe in your neighborhood, take a little drive and walk in a safer place. This is something we used to do once we had kids and still lived in apartments. We lived next to a busy road and it was too nerve-racking.
• Spend time with God.
  • If you’re religious, you will know how important it is to spend time with the Lord. Not having a weekly Mass or service is really significant to our faith.
    • Daily Devotions.
      • When I read my daily devotions (if I remember, dude I’m human and forget some days), I devote 10-30 minutes journaling what it means to me. This helps me to relieve tension and decide what kind of motivation and mood I will have for that day.
    • Listen to or watch a homily or sermon.
      • Especially for the Sundays we miss, it’s nice to hear from your pastor. How will he/she describe this week’s gospel or readings? How will you relate yourself to his/her words? This also helps me to set my tone for the week. Take me to church, even if its through a screen.
    • Pray.
      • When things are not going your way, pray. If your two year old wakes up at 1:30 a.m. wired from a night terror and wants breakfast, pray. When the dog tears up the fringe on your favorite throw blanket, pray. If potty-training isn’t going well, pray. When you have a quarrel with your spouse, pray. Pray for today, yesterday and tomorrow.
• Set a bedtime.
  • This is not just for your littles. It is an important key in YOUR daily routine. You need to get enough sleep to feel rejuvenated for the next day. I am the parent on 24/7 duty, so I know it’s not always easy to get to sleep through the night. But, setting that bedtime makes a difference.
• Date your spouse.
  • This is SO important. You are both challenged in this time. It’s very easy to become frustrated and resentful. Don’t. Even if it feels like you have to be the bigger person, don’t shut yourself away from your spouse. You need each other to get through your days. It’s you against the kids. JUST KIDDING!! But seriously, you’re going to be driven mad by the littles, let your spouse help ease the tension. I will have date ideas for this later on the blog.

Optional Add-ons

• Mix up your meals.
  • Try to get takeout once or twice a week (if your budget allows it).
    • This pandemic is going to hit hard on some of your favorite businesses. Especially smaller businesses, so show your favorite spots some love and business.
  • Not in your budget?
    • That’s not a problem! We’re all struggling in some way. Show some love to your favorite places by promoting them with your friends and family on social media accounts! A little recognition can go a LONG way.
• Count your calories.
  • This sounds silly, but it’s important. If you’re not paying attention and often bored, you will over eat.
    • Over eating leads to weight gain, stress, fatigue, and all the shit we strive to overcome in life. Set this boundary so you won’t self-sabotage.
• Start a workout routine.
  • This is not necessary. This is frivolous and only for those that want to get into an active physical routine to continue after this quarantine.
    • Don’t put too much stress on this or yourself during this time. Nobody expects you to come out of self-isolation as a changed person.
  • If you would like more details from this list of workout subscriptions from home let me know:
    • P.volve – this is the program I am currently using. I have a code for $20 off your first month (you get a 7-day free trial + one month free with code).
    • Biking Body Guide (BBG) on the Sweat app – I used this program with success after having Cece. They are currently offering a 30-day free subscription.
    • Bode by Lex – Alexa Jean Brown’s app, I used it this past summer and highly recommend for moms getting into fitness after baby!! Currently only $24.99 for the entire year!
    • Xtend Barre on the Openfit app – they have a bunch of options for payment. You’re guaranteed at least 7-days free. I haven’t tried this program yet, but it is on my list to try.
• Try a TikTok challenge.
  • This one is really silly, but it can be fun for the whole family to enjoy. Unless you’re a perfectionist and have a family without rhythm. In that case I highly recommend against this!! Ha!

Whatever your story is or what walk of life you’re in, I hope you are staying safe and healthy during this trying time. Good luck!

xo,

Tay