I love to sleep. There’s nothing better than a peaceful, uninterrupted nap. Or so I’ve heard, anyway. It’s been so long since I’ve had one that I’ve pretty much forgotten what they’re like. And if you’re a mom, I’m sure you can relate! Since I’ve had to give up my napping habits since becoming a mom, I’ve found a few other ways to make it through the day. So, today I’m sharing some of my best energy tips for busy moms.
Energy Tips for Busy Moms
As a stay-at-home mom, the vast majority of my day involves trying to keep two little ones entertained. Sometimes I plan fun activities, clean the house, and am generally super productive. Other days, we’re still in bed at 10:00. Especially with an infant who wakes up multiple times per night, it’s hard to keep up the energy to be “super mom” every day! That’s where these energy hacks for moms come in.
We’ve all heard the saying “the days are long, but the years are short.” And I definitely find it to be true! Unfortunately, some days are much longer than others. Like, way too long. On those days — which are always my most tired days — I’m literally trying to find things to do just to take up time. That’s where a lot of these suggestions were born. I find that I don’t get nearly as tired on our busiest days, mainly because I think I’m too busy to stop and think. Which leads me to my first tip…
Get Off the Couch
I know what you’re thinking. I don’t have the energy to get up and do anything, that’s why I’m sitting on the couch! I’ve found that when I’m exhausted, sitting around and thinking about how tired I am only makes me more exhausted.
Force yourself to get up and do something. Anything. I usually try to start a load of laundry or dishes. Those always need to be done around here! Or, sometimes I’ll take a lap around the house and try to tidy up toys and other random items that get left out on the ground. I say “try” because anyone who’s ever had a 2-year-old knows what a losing battle that is.
Go for a Drive
Load up the kiddos and head out of the house. You can figure out a destination later. Just the act of getting everyone out of the door and into the car will wake you up a bit. When we just need to get out of the house, some of our favorite destinations are Target, Chick-fil-A [hello, indoor playplace], a park, the library, and Sonic Happy Hour [half-price cranberry limeade, please!].
Drink a Cold Glass of Water
Something about an ice cold glass of water always perks me up a little bit. This was one of my favorite tricks when I was working as a lawyer. Some of my co-workers knew when I was working on a particularly lengthy or boring brief because I was at the water cooler every 15 minutes.
Eat a Snack
This one is kind of dangerous for me. I do find that eating helps keep me awake, but if I ate every time I was tired, I’d break the scale!
Find a snack that packs a lot of punch for not-too-many calories, like Zippy Bites.
Zippy Bites are energy truffles made with better-for-you ingredients, like organic milk and dark chocolate. Each truffle contains 152mg of caffeine, which is about the same as an energy shot or a little less than an 8oz house-brewed coffee. Plus, they include guarana [to increase memory and alertness] and vitamins B6 + B12.
And at just 50 calories per truffle, they won’t mess up your diet. Which is a legitimate concern when you’re trying to shed that baby weight. Which I’m in the middle of attempting to do right now…ugh.
Listen to Music
This is a favorite around here! Right now, Colton is super into Trolls. So we’ll crank up the Trolls soundtrack [which is actually not bad, or maybe I’ve just become immune to it] and get groovin’. Does anyone say groovin’ anymore?
Pro tip: the Trolls soundtrack is free for Prime members to stream on Amazon Music.
Open the Windows
Whether you’re at home or driving in the car, a cool breeze can do wonders for your energy. Plus, Colton thinks I’m a really fun mom when I roll down the car windows. It’s the little things, right?
Keep Your Eyes on the Prize
If all else fails, just count down the minutes until bedtime. Eventually, they have to go to sleep. Except then, you don’t want to go to sleep, because you finally have your precious alone time. So you stay up late and the whole cycle begins again the next day. Or is that just me?
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3 Comments
Totally agree every point with you…Thanks for sharing such a comprehensive and detailed write up for the busy mothers out there who are on their toes every sec
Thank you! You’re right – not much time to sit down when there are kids around!