Daylight Savings Time is Coming. Here’s How Parents Can Prepare.

I’m not a huge fan of the time changes. It throws everything off. Thankfully, we all own smartphones now that automatically change the times because I cannot imagine having to reset everything. It’s hard enough to change the time on the microwave and in my car!

Daylight Savings Time is coming up on March 8, 2020. Since it’s spring, we “spring forward,” which is a little easier than “falling backward.” We get that extra hour of sleep that first Sunday morning, but the struggle is real. I’m telling you how to deal with it now so you can have the best Daylight Savings Time transition yet.

Daylight Savings Time Can Be Difficult for Mom and Dad, Too

First, if you feel like the time change makes you feel and act sluggish, you are not alone. TC Palm reports, “And while daylight saving time brings an extra hour of sunlight later in the day during the warm, summer months, experts say it also brings about adverse health effects — throwing off sleep patterns and disrupting the body's internal clock […] Disturbing a sleep pattern can make it harder to fall asleep and wake up, causing you to feel tired all the time.”

How to Reset Your Biological Clock

Before we talk about how to handle our kids, let’s talk about how we can rest our biological clocks. We need just as much help coping with the time change as our little ones, but we often neglect taking care of our own biological clock. Here are some tips to help you:

• Set the alarm to wake up the same time each day.

• Open the curtains and let the light in first thing in the morning.

• Have a clear time each day when you stop drinking caffeinated beverages.

• Avoid blue light (smartphones, tv) before bed.

• Create and follow your own bedtime routine.

But It Is So Much Worse When You Have Kids! Here’s How to Deal.

When you have kids, not only are you trying to reset your own biological clock, but you are also trying to reset your kid’s biological clock. And it is not always an easy thing to do. Here are some tips to help your kids adjust to Daylight Savings Time:

• Push back bedtime ahead of time. Pushing your child’s bedtime back by about fifteen minutes starting a few days before is a great way to make it easier for them to go to bed when their body is telling them it isn’t bedtime yet.

• Invest in blackout curtains. With the springtime change, it means we get more sunlight. But this also means many parents are trying to put their kids to bed while the sun is still shining – especially before school is out for summer. This is where blackout curtains become so helpful!

• Use a kid-friendly alarm clock. They make kid-friendly alarm clocks that simply show a moon or sun (or certain colors) that help kids know when it is morning and evening. Depending on your kids’ ages, you may find this a useful tool.

• Stick to your routine. If your kid has a bedtime routine, then it is more important than ever before to stick to it! Even though their body will be telling them it is an hour earlier, by following the same evening routine (bath, pj’s, teeth brushing, storytime), it will help then adjust to their “new” bedtime.

• Practice Patience. When your kid acts ill or cranky in the days following March 8, 2020, just remember that the time change is no fun for anyone.

I Took a Mental Health Day and It Was Glorious!

Life is crazy. This is why I think it is important every now and then to totally check out and have a day away from everything. I’m not talking about a vacation – I am talking about a day for you to take care of yourself. Some people refer to these as “mental health days.”

As more professionals are stressing the importance of self-care, it is more acceptable to take mental health days than it was before. Now, employers understand that if they want their workers to do their best work, they need downtime to get refreshed.

As a working mom, it is super important that I practice self-care. I have to take care of myself so that I can take care of my family. And, there is absolutely nothing wrong with taking a day to myself. Recently, I took a mental health day, and it was glorious!

Here is What I Did on My Day Off

Below, I am recounting some of the things I did on my last day to myself. I hope these inspire you to take your own day off and enjoy some much-needed time for yourself.

Let the in-laws handle the kids.

As a mom, I rarely ever have true “days off.” Moms are always on duty – even when we have a day off work. However, it is important now and then to take a mom break, too. On my day off, my in-laws generously offered to take the girls for the day. That even included them handling school drop-offs and pick-ups. It was ah-mazing!

Ate lunch and dinner with my husband.

I enjoyed grown-up meals with my hubby without having to rush. I didn’t have to choose a restaurant that was kid-friendly. My husband and I ate leisurely and enjoyed great adult conversation.

Went for a massage and facial.

While my husband took a much-needed nap, I headed to the spa for a massage and facial. It felt wonderful to have someone taking care of me for a change! With a busy work schedule and family events, it can be difficult to squeeze in time for the spa, so it is always a special treat when I get to go.

Sat in the coffee shop.

Most moms know the difficulty of enjoying a hot cup of coffee. With everything on our plates, we seldom get to simply sit and enjoy a cup of coffee – let alone in a coffee shop! On my off day, I made sure to go to my favorite coffee shop and enjoy my drink while it was still hot.

Did not check in virtually.

The whole point of a mental health day is to take care of your mental health by stepping away from work. For me, this means I need to check out virtually. On my day off, I made sure I left my devices at home. I did not check my phone, my email, or my social media. And, you know what? It was awesome!

Enjoyed the world around me without rushing.

Finally, I simply took the time to enjoy the beauty of the world around me. I stopped and smelled the roses. Too often, we get too busy to look around and admire the beauty surrounding us. On this day, I took my time and looked around with eyes and heart wide open.

9 Time Management Tips to Help Busy Moms Avoid Burnout

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Mom friends, do you feel like there just aren’t enough hours in the day? It is totally normal to feel this way! We all go through a season where we never have enough time to get everything on our to-do lists checked off. But, you don’t have to live that way forever.

Here’s the truth. I am not the best mom, wife, employee, or friend when I am burnt out. When I am exhausted, everyone is affected. As a result, I have had to learn to manage my time before that happens.

All moms need breathing room. They need space in their days – even if it is just fifteen minutes here and there. But, if you don’t learn to manage your time, you will struggle to find even fifteen minutes. Don’t let this be you! Instead, here are some tried and true ways to help busy working moms avoid burnout.

Look closely at how you spend your time.

Before you come up with a whole new time management plan for yourself, you have to evaluate how you actually spend your time. For the next week, chart what you do hour by hour. Then, you can begin to see where you need to make some changes.

If you are like me, you will discover that there are huge chunks of wasted time in your day. You may also be relieved to find you aren’t crazy – you really do spend hours in the car driving your kids from school to practice to play dates.

Avoid the social media time suck.

I know I am not the only mom who has fallen victim to the social media time suck. Without even realizing it, I waste so much time scrolling through Instagram or watching other people’s stories. While I love social media, I have come to realize I need to limit the amount of time I spend on it. Need help with your social media addiction? There are apps for that.

Set daily goals. Set weekly goals. Set monthly goals.

If you are not in the habit of making goals or creating to-do lists, that has got to change. One of the most effective ways to manage my time comes from setting goals and using lists to reach these goals. But, be realistic. What can you actually accomplish today without burning out? What can you put off until later in the week?

Prioritize your health.

Moms, we are so bad about prioritizing our health. But, when mommy doesn’t feel good, everyone in our home suffers. So, try your hardest to get enough sleep and exercise – and make healthy eating choices. Choose the food that will give you lasting energy instead of the caffeine that will give you a short burst.

Learn the power of the word NO.

Here’s another hard one for moms. You have to learn to say no. You cannot do everything for everyone. It is okay to say “no” when the PTA comes calling, or your neighbor needs a favor. Saying “no” does not make you a bad person.

Ask for (and accept) help.

Likewise, you should learn to ask for help when you need – and then accept it! If you want to manage your time, you will need to delegate tasks to the rest of your family. As your kids get older, they can help you out even more. But, in the meantime, ask friends and family for help when you feel like you have reached the end of your rope.

Outsource whatever you can.

If it is in your budget, outsource whatever you can. Choose a meal delivery service or use a grocery delivery service. You will be amazed at how much time you save by simply not having to do the grocery shopping!

Organize your daily routine.

We all have time management issues that occur over and over again. For example, do you have a hard time finding your keys or purse in the morning? Do your kids always seem to be losing their shoes? Create a station by the door with the things you need to grab right before you walk out the door. This also becomes the landing spot when you get home. Purse, keys, bookbags, all go in the same spot each day. Simply getting rid of the morning search and rescue for necessities will be a major time saver.

Use time management apps.

Before we go today, I encourage you to invest in a time management app. You know what works best for you. Some moms find using timers for everything helps to keep their families on task. Other families use list sharing apps. Find an app that works for you – and use it!