happy little moments
how to have more energy as a busy mom
As a mother of 3 young children, discovering how to have more energy as a busy mom has been crucial. I remember after I first had my daughter, being so completely exhausted most of the time. Sadly, feeling tired all of the time is a common experience for a lot of moms.
But you don’t have to live that way!
How to Have More Energy as a Busy Mom
There are many paths to finding more energy as a busy mom. If you’re struggling to get through the day, you’re not alone. Undeniably, we’re all different, and various techniques work for different people. You may need to try a few different methods to find what really works for you. However, the good news is, that everything on this energy boosting list is good for you and will help you live a better life.
Many parents have found that exercising daily and eating for nourishment are great first steps to gaining more energy. Additionally, prioritizing sleep (which I know is difficult as a mom!), drinking water, and ensuring you get enough natural light exposure are great ways to find more energy to fuel your day.
My journey discovering how to have more energy as a mom
Firstly, it all started with a wake-up call. During my pregnancy with my 2nd child, I found out I had gestational diabetes. I had always been thin, ate what I thought was “healthy,” and was fairly active. Mistakenly, I thought I was doing everything right to be a healthy woman in my thirties. How could I possibly have gestational diabetes?
After my diagnosis, I met with a nutritionist and discovered I was not eating as healthy as I thought. I learned we have too much sugar in our foods we don’t even know about. She gave me recommendations about how many carbohydrates and proteins I should be eating during each meal.
However, breaking my unknown sugar habit was not easy. In fact, addictive foods had become a huge part of my life. After I broke my sugar habit, I had way more energy. I was no longer exhausted ALL of the time.
Even after that pregnancy, I ate healthy, especially watching carbohydrates and protein intake. Although I was told that my next pregnancy would likely result in another gestational diabetes diagnosis, I was healthy during my third pregnancy.
After sticking with this “diet” for five years, I have way more energy than I did in my thirties and maybe even my twenties.
Since that pregnancy, I’ve also made many other changes to keep energy levels up. I’ve created a list to help you gain more energy. Try a few of these at a time and see what increases your energy the most. Then, focus on building those habits into your daily routine.
13 ways to increase energy as a busy mom
1). Morning Light Exposure. Get natural sunlight exposure early in the morning. Amazingly, going outside for just a few minutes first thing in the morning will help regulate your circadian rhythm, help you get better sleep at night, give you Vitamin D, and boost your energy to start your day! For many of us, our lives are primarily indoors and we forget that we are meant to have natural light exposure, especially in the mornings. The sweet spot is 15-20 minutes first thing in the morning, but even 5-10 minutes is fantastic to help your body get more energy.
2). Exercise. It sounds counterintuitive, but moving your body, especially in the mornings, boosts energy and endorphins that last the rest of the day. Plus, if you do it early, you reap the benefits of burning more calories after your workout is over. Personally, I work out early because it’s the only real time I have for myself. But if you can work out with your kids around, or get an hour to go to the gym in the evenings, that’s amazing!
Unsurprisingly, getting to the gym as a mom is difficult. So alternatively, I choose to workout at home with Lindsey Bomgren at Nourish Move Love every morning. Her 20 and 30-minute workouts are FIRE! And my muscle tone has majorly improved. She has all kinds of post-partum workouts, too, so I highly recommend her for busy moms. You don’t need much time at the gym – you just need quick workouts that build muscle. (I don’t get paid for promoting her – she’s just amazing!).
3). Get Up Before Your Kids. Establish a morning routine for yourself that you do before the kids get up. (If you have a newborn, give yourself grace before jumping into this one)! In my opinion, the trick is to a great morning routine is doing activities that make you feel good. Don’t try jumping into somthing you hate first thing. Instead, take this time to focus on YOU because the rest of your day will be about serving everyone else. You may try: journaling, getting sunlight, working out, eating a healthy breakfast, reading a book, learning a new language or skill, picking up a new hobby, meditating, praying, or reading a devotional.
4). Get Enough Sleep. Naturally, all us moms would LOVE to get enough sleep. I hear you – I don’t always get enough sleep either. However, it is helpful to go to bed shortly after your kids go to bed.
To help with getting enough rest, establish an evening wind-down routine, such as spending 10 minutes tidying up and then grabbing a book to read until bedtime. Find a routine that brings you joy and eases you into sleep.
5). Get Rid of Clutter. Unfortunately, the large quantities of things we accumulate affect our mental health and drain our energy. Children feel the stress of clutter, too. Take every opportunity you can to declutter. Remember, there’s only so much we can keep up with – we’re only human. Holding onto everything for years is emotionally draining for everyone living in the home.
Understandably, we have children (that’s why you’re here), and we can’t just get rid of all their toys. However, you and your family’s mental health will improve if you set boundaries about what you own.
staying healthy
6). Eat a Healthy Diet. As mentioned above, changing your diet to one that is cleaner, has less sugar, more fruits and veggies, and more protein is life-changing. Especially focusing on eating protein and vegetables throughout the day will curb your appetite for junk food, sugar, and salt. Remember, nourishing your body will make you feel better in the long-term, which is worth giving up the short-term pleasure of junk food.
7). Drink Enough Water. Staying hydrated is an important part of keeping your energy levels up. Being hydrated helps your body work at optimal levels, getting toxins out and getting your body working more efficiently. Do you notice that on days you’re dehydrated, you feel more sluggish? That’s because you’re body is having to work harder. Keep a water bottle of water like this one nearby at all times to help remind you to drink water all day long.
8). Take Regular Supplements. Taking a multivitamin helps you fill in gaps in your nutrition. This healthy habit helps you maintain a consistent level of good energy all day long. Unfortunately, most of us are busy and struggle to get all the vitamins and minerals we need in our bodies every day. Quickly taking a supplement in the mornings helps your body get what it needs to give you energy all day long.
9). Get Bloodwork Done. If you still can’t control your energy levels, see your doctor or get your bloodwork done. Generally, if you’re struggling to keep up your energy, make sure there isn’t a more serious issue with your health.
ways to practice mindfulness
10). Have a hobby. Find a hobby that you enjoy and find ways to incorporate it into your life. If you struggle with finding a hobby, think about the things that bring you joy. Do the decorations in your home bring you joy? Try a hobby related to visual art. Do you love doing things with your hands? Try crafting, knitting, crocheting, or making jewelry. Do you like to be outside? Take up gardening or hiking. Remember, some hobbies you can do with your children, too!
11). Take short walks during the day. Recently, I’ve started incorporating short walks into my day so I move more than just my morning workout. It gives me a boost during the middle of the day, and helps me get more steps in. If you’re feeling sluggish in the afternoons, try taking a quick walk.
12). Stay off Social Media. Have you ever noticed how crummy you feel after scrolling everyone else’s highlight reel? It’s time we stop looking at what everyone else is doing and focus on improving our own lives instead. Since deciding not to pay attention to everyone else and just focusing on my my life and family, I’ve been much happier! And indeed, more successful, too.
Although reaching for the phone when under mental stress is easy, work to reduce the time you spend on social platforms. Alternatively, spend time finding what you love in the real world.
13). Start a mindfulness practice. Mindfulness can be practiced in many ways. Try meditation, prayer, a devotional, yoga, or journaling. Your mindfulness practice also doesn’t need to be the same as everyone else, nor does it need to be perfect. Instead, do something that feeds your spirit on a regular basis.
Conclusion
By finding ways to feed your mind, body, and spirit regularly, you will find much better energy stores you never knew you had. Which, makes you a better wife, mother, leader in your family, and friend.
I recognize that there’s a lot here. I wouldn’t expect you to do all of these things every single day, or even do all of these at all. You don’t have to do all of it to find hidden energy. But, if you’re struggling with your energy, try one or two of these for a few weeks to see if it helps you have better energy. Then start to implement another new habit for a few weeks and another. It’s important to build new habits slowly and systematically, instead of trying to do everything at once.
In conclusion, I hope this is helpful for you and helps you find the daily energy you need to keep up with life and your children! Motherhood is not easy – it’s always a challenge. But it’s an extremely rewarding challenge – just be sure to find ways that you can take care of you, and enjoy the ride!
