It's only my first day back at work and there's already trouble in my house!
The summer holidays are not over yet and with more than a week to go until the return to school, I am wondering how I am going to get work done, without missing sleep or taking to the Gin!
Like many parents, taking the full 6 weeks off work is impossible and if you are a freelancer or self-employed, taking anytime out needs to be budgeted for. After 17 months of the Pandemic, many parents have been forced to work through holidays, and this is likely to be the case for any future holidays to come. We may not have the torture of home school to contend with, but our children still need our time.
So how do you survive work and parenting at the same time? Here are some great tips from fellow Aromatherapist and my former Teacher Julia Oyeleye. Whilst you read, I am off to apply my Ten Minutes Peace Rollerball to my pulse points.
It’s the school summer holidays here in the U.K. and it’s about now that many parents feel the pressure and guilt of juggling work commitments with spending quality time with their children.
The one thing that is definitely suffering is their own self care. If that’s you, here
are a couple of my top tips to help keep you sane:
Pop some citrus essential oils like Bergamot and Grapefruit in your diffuser - they are uplifting but keep you focussed.
Keep your water intake up - a dehydrated brain makes it so much harder to think straight.
Have a holiday treats budget and stick to it - overspending to compensate for having to work increases stress levels.
Plan and organise tomorrow the evening before so you know what your work priorities are and you can hit the ground running. It may sound a bit OTT but putting home related things like shopping, cooking, quality family time in your work diary really helps keep a balance too.
Every day choose one area in your home and give it a 10 minute speed clean. This can be your desk, a bathroom, getting the washing done, your bedroom anywhere that stresses you if it’s a mess. If you keep the space you use tidy it doesn’t sap your energy every time you look at it.
For more inspiration on essential oils you could use to help you sail through the summer holidays Julia's book Aromatherapy for Mental Wellbeing is available from the Made by Pure Hands shop.