mama’s on schedule With Australia in and out of border closures, lockdowns and remote learning, I know how most of us are feeling right now; stuck, in limbo, awkward, uncomfortable with no sense of purpose or direction. It’s easy to feel like this when many of us have lost our jobs, our routines and our regular way of living, and as a result our calendars and planners may be looking a little empty. However, this is the time when you need to be using them the most! It’s time to start planning and reinforcing good habits to keep both mentally and physically healthy. Personally, I always plan my daily routines, budget, meals and habits - this is what helps me get through each day not only in a productive way BUT by keeping my anxiety at bay and mental health in check. Now I’m not saying you can’t slow down and live in your pjs some days (I know I have!), because this is the perfect time to breathe and try to pace our lives. However, having a sense of routine right now is going to do wonders for your mental and physical health. With this in mind, I have provided some organisation tips and free resources to help reinforce positive routines and habits for the whole family.
Kids’ daily plans Mamas, I feel you right now. We are all racking our brains trying to keep the kids entertained for longer than five minutes. What I find helps is creating a little routine for them ahead of time. It can be as simple as craft time, watching a movie, outdoor play or reading books. I have created some free printable resources for parents to provide them with some inspiration and ideas. Check out my Indoor + Outdoor Scavenger Hunt and 30 Home Activities for Families printable charts.
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Some helpful tips for kids stuck at home: • Create obstacle courses around the house to get them moving. • Check out Cosmic Yoga on YouTube for yoga, mindfulness, and guided relaxation classes to keep them relaxed and focused, particularly for children being homeschooled. • Schedule Facetime dates with separated family and friends to maintain their social skills and personal connections. • Utilise items like empty toilet rolls, cardboard boxes and recycled paper for crafts to nurture and maintain their creativity. • Keep their bedtime routine the same to maintain a sense of structure for our little ones.
Plan your meals Anyone else need to practise social distancing from their fridge right now? Everyone is struggling to avoid snacking all day and finding it hard to stick to the usual mealtimes - meal planning will help! Planning our meals each week also allows us to save a lot of money and avoid food wastage. Meal planning is something I’ve done for many years as I hate the pressure of trying to think of what to make for dinner each night. I meal plan for the week ahead every Sunday. Try researching new recipes to cook each week and then save your favourites. I aim to try one new recipe per week, and I love my slow cooker right now because I throw in all the ingredients in the morning, and its ready by dinner time – all I have to do is plate up! From your meal plan you can then write your specific shopping list, which will stop you buying too much food or items that you don’t need, and makes shopping in store, or online, faster and more efficient.
