After a short break from the blog, there’s no better way to jump back in than by talking about taking breaks! Let’s face it – life gets busy. There’s no avoiding it. We plan and make schedules and still, things seem to get in the way of our much needed downtime. When we get too busy what is the first thing to get dropped? You guessed it, our self-care. When we are too busy we stop eating as many healthy home-made meals, we drop our fun passion projects (like blogging!), we have less time to connect with friends and family, we sleep less, we lose our patience more easily. And there is no denying that this negatively impacts mental health – not only our mental health, but the mental health of the children in our lives too.
When we use the term ‘Mental Health’ we often mistake it for ‘Mental Illness’, i.e. having anxiety, depression, or bi-polar disorder . We tend to think that working on Mental Health doesn’t apply to us or the kids in our life if we or they aren’t struggling with one of those illnesses. However, the terms ‘Mental Health’ and ‘Mental Illness’ are different. Mental Illness refers to a diagnosed illness, such as Generalized Anxiety Disorder or Major Depressive Disorder. But when we talk about ‘Mental Health’ we are talking about staying healthy to prevent and/or treat Mental Illness. And this applies to everyone.
One of the most important ways we can support our own mental health is by taking breaks. Breaks from work, breaks from a busy social calendar, and yes, even breaks from your kids. I talk to many parents everyday and one thing is clear – caregivers who take breaks are better able to meet the needs of their kids. Why? – because they take time to recharge between facing the daily chaos of raising kids which makes them feel more rested, patient, and increases enjoyment in the time spent with their kids. Now, I know what most of your are thinking – “I don’t have time or money for vacations or breaks”. But breaks can look many different ways. They can be small, and should happen daily. Breaks can be a 5 minute moment of quiet to recharge, a relaxing shower, a 30 second pause to take deep breaths before reacting to a child’s misbehavior, or saying no to that 20th event invitation of the year and choosing to stay home instead.
Breaks are important, not only for adults, but for children as well. Today’s children are over-scheduled, stressed, and tired. I see it everyday in my practice. They need downtime to rest and relax. They need time for exploratory play where they are deciding if they want to colour, or read, or play dress-up. As important as keeping regular routines and schedules is to kids, it is equally important for them to have choices, free play, and down-time at home.
So, as we get back into our regular schedules this week following March Break, I invite you to think about you schedule. Is there anything in your life that you would like to let go of to gain a little more downtime? How can you add a 5 minute pause into your day to help you recharge? What will taking breaks look like for you and your family?
Until next time,
Meg
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