On looking after yourself

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As I sit here and type this I am on approximately Day 13 of LURGY. The Cold that just won’t shift, and without sounding like TOO much of a hypochondriac, the cold that has brought with it a loads of other symptoms (bad tum, fuzzy memory and feeling absolutely shagged). After a weekend of cancelled plans and after realising that I really needed a Saturday of doing absolutely nothing, bar pottering around the house with the children and feeling sorry for myself, I found myself thinking:

“WHY is it so hard for me just to SLOW DOWN?”.

“Why is it that just stopping doing things, has me panicking slightly?”

I guess I’ve always been a doer, although not so much when I was younger, but since having kids I’ve irritatingly been more driven then ever, wanting to get ‘stuff done’. Which is actually rather tricky when you actually have even less time to get said ‘stuff’ done than ever before, cramming in work, chores, time with children/husband/family/friends, hobbies, exercise and SLEEP into a fairly limited time-frame (there’s only 24 hours in a day folks, I don’t care what Beyonce does).

This post isn’t supposed to be a (totally) ‘woe is me’ one, more just pondering the need to feel like we’re achieving things on a daily basis, and then being unable to relax properly when our bodies scream “enough, woman!” and require us to rest.  

So rest I did on Saturday, and do you know what?

It was great, ‘doable’ and definitely what my poor knackered body needed. I suspect the reason it’s taken so long to get over this virus is the fact I haven’t done the latter, and have been paying for it as a result. 

I snuggled in bed with the children, watched Disney films, got down on the floor in my pyjamas and played with them for far longer than I might do otherwise (I’m ashamed to say 🙁 ), drank copious amounts of tea/Lempsip, before having a bath, a light dinner and getting into bed to watch X Factor and turning lights off at a reasonable hour.

Whilst I’m still not 100%, I’m on the mend, and feel confident that I definitely wouldn’t be on the way to good health if I’d gone to my friend’s birthday party on Saturday night and been 6 sheets to the wind, however much I may have wanted to go. 

Paying attention to your body and looking after yourself is sometimes the best gift you can give it, and I will continue to do so this week, with lots of nutritious food, green tea, hot baths and earlier nights. I know I will thank myself for it.

What do you do to treat your body when you’re under the weather?

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7 Comments

  1. November 23, 2015 / 12:31 pm

    Ahhh honey, I am SO hearing you! Life has been a million miles an hour this end too, and we’ve all been suffering from various lurgies. My biggest top tip is Pukka natural vitamin C at the slightest sniffle or sore throat, usually keeps it from bay (I say this touching wood as am definitely not operating at 100% at the mo).

    Really glad that you’re on the mend lovely xx

    • Becky
      Author
      November 23, 2015 / 1:37 pm

      Oh no, I hope you and your lot are on the mend soon- it feels relentless! Thanks for the tip re Vitamin C hon- I should really take some. I pop other vits (Iron, B12 etc), but not actually that and maybe I need to! x

  2. November 23, 2015 / 1:07 pm

    I hope you feel better soon, Becky!!! You definitely push yourself hard (because you’re amazingly talented and good at what you do, which includes being a mom!) so you deserve a break to really fully rest and recover. Good on you for recognizing that you needed to slow down! xo

    • Becky
      Author
      November 23, 2015 / 1:38 pm

      Aaw thanks Jaime, that’s so kind of you 🙂 I think I pretend I’m superwoman sometimes, when I’m really, really not! x

  3. November 24, 2015 / 7:45 am

    It is so hard to get over illnesses when you are a parent! I had a cold the other week and have only just started to feel a bit better, I guess because those days of resting in bed are well and truly over once you give birth! I think it’s definitely good to just let things go sometimes though, for me it’s usually going out in the evening as I’m just too tired, hope you feel better soon xx

  4. Charlene
    November 24, 2015 / 10:02 pm

    In life BK (before kids) I would sleep when I was sick as I think it is the most restorative thing you can do. Now that’s not an option so like you, I keep things low key. Crank up the heat, get out our favourite DVDs and keep the peppermint tea flowing.

  5. Rachel @ The Ordinary Lovely
    November 25, 2015 / 10:02 pm

    I’m so guilty of this. I know I need to slow down and rest but can never manage it and then moan when I can’t get better. Hope you’re okay xx

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