As a mom, from the moment your alarm clock beeps in the morning you are pulled in a million different directions. Get your kids up and out of bed, get them dressed, make breakfast, pack lunches, brush teeth, quickly smooch your husband as he runs out the door, and the list goes on and on….you barely have time to brush your hair and boogie out the door to shuttle your children to school and somehow make it to work on time. Believe me, I have been there. I’m the mom twisting my un-brushed hair in a “trendy” knot as I quickly grab an apple from the refrigerator, shout instructions to nana, kiss and hug my children and run out the door! The morning routine is exhausting! But if I’m really being honest, the entire day is exhausting whether you are full-time working mom, part-time working mom or a stay at home mom, motherhood is a mix of stress and anxiety.
I don’t know about you, but looking back the stresses I felt prior to having children and a family seem so minimal. Of course I had some big stressors like being in a new marriage, working myself up the corporate ladder, paying off a huge amount of student loan debt for that fancy private university I just had to go to and that terribly long commute to work. But ladies, I’m talking about the everyday mundane worries; will I make it home in time to watch my favorite show? Will I take the 5 O’Clock cycling class or the 6:15? Should I buy myself those UGGS that cost just as much as my father’s first car? I know, really end of the world stuff here! The minute my son came into the world my perspective changed and life got a little bit harder. My thoughts immediately shifted away from my own needs to his and boy did he have a lot of needs. There was sleep deprivation, feeding schedules, nap time, tummy time, socialization, breast feeding, pumping, how will we afford formula, doctor appointments and the list goes on and on again… Most importantly, I wondered, how can I possibly keep him safe every moment of every day? The responsibility of raising a child, keeping them safe and making them happy is MASSIVE. And I will be honest again, I feel crippled by it every day. I can deal with the little stresses; the added household chores, the shuttling to activities, the crying and whining, the fighting over toys…you know all the little things that make you want to rip out your hair one strand at a time! I push through all of those things because in the laundry I will find a tiny pair of Superman underpants that makes me giggle every time, a whine will quickly turn into a snuggle session on the couch and the fighting amongst themselves most times resolves with a sweet hug and a kiss. If you look for the joy in all the littles stressors it all seems just a little bit sweeter.
Even with all the joy and happiness of being a mother it is still very stressful. Motherhood is a constant battle against time. You must get everything done, make everyone happy and take care of IT ALL. The expectation is enough to crush even the Tiger Mom. When you are done taking care of everyone else, who has been taking care of you? For many moms their identity gets left behind in favor of “giving it all” to the needs of everyone else in the family. But wait….aren’t you a part of that family? Don’t you deserve the same amount of self-care that you dish out? YES, YES YOU DO!
Everyone deals with stress differently, some hold it and internalize it, some yell and scream, some cry, some may even laugh, others will get a massage or a facial. What do I do to purge all of that daily stress and anxiety? I exercise! It helps that fitness is my business but long before I made fitness my career, I made it a priority. I realized early on that I needed to carve out a time each day to fit in some “me time” on my bike or at the gym. I chose a time when I would feel less guilt about taking time for me and made it happen every day….at 4am. Some may think I’m crazy but that 2 hours where I can sip my coffee in peace, answer some emails and then work up a good sweat in the basement on my spin bike saves me. It prepares me mentally and physically for the day that has yet to come when the rest of my household wakes up. I know that 4am is not an hour that most people want to see every day, so I encourage everyone to find a time that works for them and make it happen. I also encourage everyone to choose an activity that they actually enjoy so that exercise is fun, not a chore (you have too many of those!). Before you know it you will be in a groove, your breaths will come easier, you will feel stronger and you will find that you a disappointed when you miss your sweat session! The benefits are just too good to pass up.
Looking to jump start your stress fighting exercise routine? Here are a few tips:
- Always talk to your doctor before starting any exercise program.
- Have fun and find an something you love to do.
- Find a friend and do it together.
- Go slow if you are just starting out. Even if you are in a class setting take it at your own pace and don't compare yourself to others.
- Remember it doesn't get easier you get stronger.
- Check out all of the great classes at Oh Baby! Fitness!
Katelyn Woodward is a co-owner of Oh Baby! Fitness South Shore MA. She teaches both pre-natal as well as mom and baby fitness classes across the South Shore, and encourages new and expecting moms to take care of themselves every day!
