3 Relaxation Techniques to Help Stressed Moms Chill Out

There are few things as stressful in life as being a mother while also being a career woman. Balancing your family and your ambitions isn’t always easy - and when it gets hard, it can be hard for a mother to find the time to relax. When you’re that busy, taking the time to relax can seem like a frivolous waste of time. But, as anyone who has put relaxation on the backburner for too long will tell you, if you stretch yourself too thin, it’s going to do more harm than good in the long run.

Relaxing on a daily basis may not be necessary for everyone - but a lot of people can benefit from even just five minutes of downtime in a day to let themselves relax. That’s right - you don’t have to take a lot of time out of your day to relax. Sometimes even just a small amount of quiet time can pay off, as long as you can force yourself to relax for that time.

Here’s some ways to sneak a little relaxation into your day:

Meditate

If you’re anything like me, the first time someone told you that you should sit down and try not to think about anything for a period of time, you thought they were crazy. But it turns out that adding even just five minutes of guided meditation to your day can help you clear your mind and relax your body. Now, if you don’t know how to start meditating, that’s fine, there’s lots of resources out there to help you. There are also plenty of apps that will help you through guided meditations. If you try to practice meditation regularly, you’ll find your focus increasing, and you’ll find you look forward to those moments of peace in your hectic day.

Get Some Exercise

People know that adding exercise to your routine can help you relax, but they also know it takes a level of commitment and organization to ensure that you do it. Well, even if it’s just a small slice of the day a couple times a week, exercising can definitely help you to relax more on a daily basis.

“Even on my busiest days, I try to find some time to exercise. Even taking ten or fifteen minutes to get on the stationary bike or workout helps to clear my head and keep me focused for the rest of the day,” says George Sink. “It’s not always easy to fit it in, but I always try. Whether it’s shortening my lunch break, getting up a little earlier, or in the evening, it’s just a matter of finding where the time fits in your day, and committing to it.” Doing yoga, running, stretching, or even just taking a walk at some point in the day can help you to stay relaxed and better deal with stress when it crops up in your life.

Take a Hot Bath

If you have the time - and a bath tub - I strongly recommend taking a quiet, hot bath at some point during your week to help you relax. Not only does this mean you’ll be alone for a little while, the heat will help your muscles to relax so you’ll released some tension in your body. You can also add things to help you relax, like pleasantly-scented candles or essential oils to add to the experience. The scents will help calm you and keep your mind clear, to provide a more relaxing time.

This is just a partial list. There are plenty of other quick ways to relax for people who don’t have the time. You simply need to find something that works for you, doesn’t take up too much of your time, fits into your routine, and - most importantly - helps you to relax. This can be a challenge when you have to deal with work during the day and kids at night, but if you don’t, you run the risk of underperforming at work or at home, neither of which is acceptable.

Written by Natalie Bracco for Working Mother and legally licensed through the Matcha publisher network. Please direct all licensing questions to legal@getmatcha.com.