I get it, when it comes to being a parent and a mum, we are often very low on our own priority list, right? We think of children and family before ourselves. We share our food, share our beds, get up in the night, wake with a child as an alarm and generally spend your time looking after other people and less time on ourselves. There is nothing wrong with this, it’s all part and parcel of being a mum. But I am also a great believer in the fact that when you are feeling your best and when you are at your happiest personally, then your output to everything else in life is increased. You can’t pour from an empty cup! So how can we take better care of ourselves without losing our main priorities and focus? Would you believe it can all start in the bedroom? Now before you start thinking of care free times with your other half before children, I wanted to share with you why your bedroom, the space, and your routine associated with it can make a huge difference to how you feel.
Decorate your bedroom and take pride in the space
Much like ourselves, when it comes to decorating our home we are more likely to decorate other areas in the home and our bedrooms can be last on the list. But this is your space to relax and unwind so it deserves a little love and attention. So decorating your bedroom can make a big difference to how you feel and can make you feel a little special even if it is just for those hours that you are sleeping. Think about new accessories to add like different textures and materials, velvet can make your bedroom feel luxurious and a little colour can allow you to inject your personality into it. Invest in a new mattress, increase the storage so you have places to store things, and generally make more use of the space. You won’t regret it.
Think about how you sleep and improve the quality
Sleep is often what every parent wants more of, especially in those early years, so this could be high on the agenda for you. A great thing to consider would be to improve the quality of sleep you get rather than the amount, after all, we cannot control our children too much when it comes to early wake up calls. Get comfortable at night, avoid the technology and enjoy a nice warm drink before bed. Maybe indulge in a bath or shower, take some time to look after your skin, and generally wind down. Much like you do with your child’s bedtime routine. It is all about having the same approach to your own bedtime.
Give yourself time to get ready in the morning
It is always a good idea to plan in advance for yourself. After all, you more than likely will do it with the rest of the family. Lay out your clothes the night before, wake up a little earlier so you get some time for yourself or get ready in peace, exercise and maybe do some meditation or yoga first thing. You may think more sleep is better for you, and in some cases that might be true, but actually investing in yourself in other ways, and filling yourself up before the day begins can help you start your day on a high.
Ban yourself of tech in your bedroom
It can be all too easy to fall into a trap of aimless Instagram scrolling at night, but this might not be the best idea if you want to get some sleep and invest in yourself for a while. Maybe banning technology from your bedroom can give you that permission to step away from your phone and iPad and think of yourself for a change. Read a book, talk to your partner, and generally wind down. You will notice the difference.
Keep things to a minimum
Finally, if you can try and keep the clutter to a minimum in your bedroom. The concept of tidy house equals a tidy mind can be quite relevant, and while it can be impossible to keep a tidy home with young children, there can be one space in your home that has some order and that can be your bedroom. It should be like your own little tranquil environment. The place just for you. It allows you to give yourself the time you need to feel your absolute best.
I hope that this has given you some inspiration to take better care of yourself and get a bit more sleep!