How to Unwind After a Hard Day…

Okay, so you’ve had a LONG day and need to de-stress. No worries, we’ve all been there! I totally wish life had one of those giant reset buttons sometimes! Learning how to unwind after a crazy hard day isn’t always easy, which is why I’m always on the lookout for new ways to practice self care at the end of the day.

Check out my favorite my favorite go to options for relaxing and unwinding after a stressful day! 

Simple Ways to Unwind
at the End of the Day…

• Enjoy a Little Retail Therapy

  I’m totally serious on this one! Hitting up my local Target works wonders on this overworked, stressed but blessed momma!

  Get someone to sit with your kids for an hour — better yet, make it 2 hours.

  Ask your husband, mother or phone a friend, then get yourself together and head the out the door! Grab some coffee when you enter the building and take your time browsing all the things.

  Walk up and down every single aisle in that blessed building and spend quality time looking around for clearance steals!

  Then, take a look around you. It really shouldn’t take too long before you spot another young mother struggling with her own children. Take it all in! Just enjoy that simple moment and be thankful for your personal quiet time, because soon you will be right back in those shoes. While they are beautiful shoes to fill, they can also be extremely overwhelming to walk in from time to time!

  Next, sip on that coffee (or tea if you prefer) slowly and don’t leave the store till it’s gone. No, you don’t have to spend money – crazy thought I know. the point is to get out of the house, kid & crazy free.

  However, if getting out isn’t an easy option for you, a little online retail therapy can work wonders as well! I’m a huge homebody and totally love this option you guys!

• Hit the Park

  If getting a sitter isn’t an option for you most of the time, don’t fret. This one is for you! I’m not going to lie, I do this quite often and it’s down right amazing you guys!

  Stressed and feeling completely overwhelmed? Grab your purse and car keys, get the kids buckled in and drive.

  Head straight to your local park. You know the one. It’s low key, rarely busy and your kids love it!

  Ours has a soccer field attached which I consider completely essential for days like this. Why? Simply because it means plenty of space for the kids to run… and run…. and run!

  Pick up some coffee on the way or simply grab your favorite book when heading out the door, whatever your vice!

  If you have older kids put them in charge of pushing little ones on the swing, while you take a much needed breather. If you don’t, that’s alright too! Just make them run over and over again. Wear the kids down and keep what’s left of your sanity!

  I totally love turning this into a game. The one that makes it to that pole and back first is the winner! Makes them super tired and I really didn’t have to put much effort into it. My kids are super competitive too, which mean they absolutely love our surprise park visits with running competitions. Little do they know it’s actually because Mom needs a breather!

• Take Out or Order In

  If you’ve already had an incredibly long day, the last thing you want to think about is cooking dinner and cleaning up after.

  If your budget allows, let someone else make dinner for you tonight! Pick it up, have it delivered, whatever works!

  Think simple.

  Skip the dicing, sautéing, and scrubbing for the night and let someone else do all work.

  Budget not flexible? Ask your spouse to take care of the cooking if that’s an option! Every mom deserves a break every now and then!

  My husband doesn’t make a plethora of dinner type meals. However, he is what my kids refer to as the breakfast genius! Seriously though, having my hubs make a solid breakfast for dinner is one of my favorite go tos when I’m stressed out!

  My kids consider it a welcomed treat when dad cooks, so it really is a win for everyone – except maybe my husband, since he’s the one stuck cooking, haha!

• Have a Movie Night

  While this isn’t my first go-to option, it’s totally necessary from time to time! Usually our Friday nights are reserved for a family movie night anyway, so I try not to lean on this too often.

  However, if your day has been completely in the dumps and you simply need to do nothing, this is totally a valid option!

  Put on a kid friendly movie that all your kids can agree on – definitely the most difficult part of the entire evening, ha ha. Then simply turn the lights down, get snuggled up and let them watch, while you zone out and refresh!

• Treat Yourself (with Treats)

  

  Sometimes all you need to unwind after a crazy day is a simple glass of wine! Chocolate definitely helps too!

  If you aren’t a wine drinker, tea, decaf coffee, or a simple mug of hot cocoa are all great wind down choices as well!

  Tuck your littles into bed, grab your beverage of choice, maybe a snack or two, and relax momma!

• Create a Beauty Routine

  Yes! I don’t lean on this one nearly enough!

  A super simple way to chillax after a difficult day, is by doing a little something for you. Put a relaxing mixture of essential oils in the diffuser, turn on your favorite music, and practice a little beauty self care routine!

  Go serious with a full mani-pedi & facial, or keep it super simple. Whatever you need, just take the time to do it!

  You could even get a little crazy and shave your legs, applying lotion after!

  Can I just be brutally honest for a moment? As busy moms, we don’t do these things nearly as often as we want or need to!

   

• Workout

  This might sound a little crazy, but hear me out on this one.

  I’m sure the last thing on your mind after a long day, is exercise. I know it certainly isn’t the first thing I want to do when I need to relax.

  However, it could be just what you need after a stressful day! Think about it.

  If you’re focused on what number squat you are on, you won’t be thinking about how hard your day was. Genius right?

  For real though. Exercising is not only good for your body, but it can also take your mind off some of the stressful situations that arise from day to day.

  Working out can be a great stress reliever!

  Plus, you will feel better the next day knowing you did something good for your body instead of pigging out or watching a marathon of TV.

  I totally need to do this one more often than I do!

  Looking for Workouts for Your Kiddos?

  Check out 10 Minute Workouts for Kids to get new ideas on how to incorporate workouts into your daily homeschool routine! These workouts were created for the kiddos, but mom can totally get in on this action too!

• Work on a Project

  This!! If you are anything like me, you thrive when things are organized, clean and in their place. You also probably find great joy in accomplishment & productivity! If that sounds like you at all, this is where all the de-stressing is at!

  Now when I say project, I’m typically speaking about non labor intensive projects. So don’t go paint your entire house or something – unless that is totally your thing of course!

  I’m more specifically talking about creative projects that give you a sense of accomplishment.

  This can be something artsy like painting a canvas, scrapbooking your old photos, or crocheting some mittens. It can also come in more structured forms such as journaling about your day, organizing your desk, or even purging the entire house one room at a time.

  Seriously though, nothing gives me more joy after a bad day, than a clean and organized house the next morning! I also totally love catching up on work projects or cleaning out my email! This type of productivity just feels sooo good, you guys!!

• Go to Sleep Early

  I’m not sure I really need to explain this one, because it’s a total no brainer!

  If your day has totally sucked, going to sleep early might just be just what you need to reset. Tuck your kiddos into bed, then slap your own head down on a pillow.

  If your day was really bad, see if your spouse can tuck the kiddos in, allowing you to get some shut-eye even earlier! Either way, there is nothing like a little extra sleep to take the stress from a hectic day completely away.

• Dive Into Scripture

  I didn’t write this list in any specific order of importance, but if I had, this one would take the cake!

  If you’re overwhelmed, stressed, or discouraged, there is absolutely no better solution than this.

  Spend quality time with the Savior.

  After the kids have drifted off to sleep, open up your Bible, read, and pray.

  Spend some quiet moments reading His word and dwelling on your blessings. Tell Him thank you for getting you through this tough day and simply ask Him to help you have a better tomorrow!

Practicing Self Care
to Unwind…

Still struggling with how to unwind each night? 

While any number of these are great by themselves, a mixture of this and that also works wonders!

Most days aren’t terrible for me. However, I still feel like I always need a little pick me up in the evening hours and self care is definitely where it’s at.

Tonight I’m relaxing with wine, some scripture, and catching up on some pressing work needs. It’s relaxing and productive — which was exactly what I needed today.

As busy moms, our needs can change from day to day. Something that worked for one situation might not work for the next! So focus on your today and leave tomorrow up to Him.

Love this article? Please share it with another stressed but blessed momma in need!

Looking for More Mom Tips?

Check out some of these helpful posts!

• Time Management Tips for Moms
• Spending Quality Time with Kids
• Simple Self Care for Homeschool Moms
• Mom’s Coffee Break
• How to Be Present with Kids