On looking after yourself

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?

Becky

Meet the award-nominated UK lifestyle blogger behind Spirited Puddle Jumper – a mum of three living in South East London! Becky shares the real ups and downs of family life, parenting tips, and lifestyle inspiration, proving that being a mum doesn’t mean you stop being fun or having other interests! Follow along for honest insights into UK family life and opinions on a whole range of topics, from travel and food, to beauty reviews, home and DIY, business and health and wellness.