It's basically inevitable when you have little germ sponges/children in your house.
We get sick. It happens to the best of us.
But getting sick as a mom sucks 1,000x harder than it did before we had kids. We can't really stop, can't slow down, and probably have to take care of a house full of other sick people.
As you tape a tissue under your nose so you can fold laundry and make lunches without dripping snot everywhere, don’t forget that you still need to take care of you. Actually, now more than ever you need to be prioritizing your health and wellness.
When I work with clients, sometimes they get sick! And while they may want to hit the pause button and get back to their healthy living once they’re feeling tip top and have caught back up on life, we don’t do that. In fact, these times are SO valuable to getting your healthy lifestyle to stick!
Listening to your body, finding the small ways you can make healthy choices, and maintaining your mindfulness amidst the chaos of getting sick is when you can really solidify the Savage mindset you’ve been cultivating so you can see the results of all your healthy work.
Whether it's a cold or one of the many other ways our routines can be interrupted, there are a lot of great ways to keep up your healthy living efforts so you don't lose all that momentum you've been building creating your healthy lifestyle.
Rest
Girl, the laundry can wait. And the dishes. And that backlog of work you might have to do. Maybe there’s another mom or a partner you can ask for some extra help? Take care of pick up and drop off, watch your kiddo for a couple hours while you get some R&R, or help with bedtimes so you can snuggle in and get cozy.
It’s not easy to ask for help, and when I’m sick I, personally, have a really hard time asking for it. For work or scheduling issues, it’s easy to justify, but when I could get things done but just need a break, it’s not as easy. But I’m learning to just ask.
You can ask for help and the people in your life are likely happy to help when they can — not just because they love you, but they’ll also need your help sometime. And asking them gives them permission to let themselves ask for help when they need it, too.
Repeat this in the mirror: “I deserve help. I do not have to do everything on my own. I can ask for help and still be an awesome mom.”
Hydrate
I mean, this is an easy one and what everyone should do when we’re sick. But we do often forget to do it! Or we don’t prioritize it at all. Hydrating is the least you can do for that poor viral body of yours (and will provide the most help!). It will not only help you heal up faster, but will keep you mindful of your self care and make you feel proud that you are doing something for yourself.
Grab a water bottle and keep it by your side. Bring it in the car, carry it around the house. Try to drain it whenever you think about it. It is possible to over-hydrate, but it’s super hard to actually do. So don’t worry about that. Get that water in! Coffee and tea are also ok, but say no to sugary juices and drinks and especially to any artificial sweeteners.Maintain the brain
This one takes almost no physical effort. So on the days you can’t even, focus on your mental health. Getting sick while being a mom is one of the ways we can really plunge ourselves into some negative thought patterns.
We feel guilty for the work we’re missing so we power through and do it all because we feel like we don’t have a choice. We are upset with ourselves for getting sick in the first place, upset for all the things we’re not doing, and resentful of the people around us who are just making it harder for us to rest.
If you really stop and think about how you are speaking to yourself when you’re sick, chances are it’s pretty brutal. Like if someone actually spoke to you that way out loud, you’d probably be ready to slap them across the face.
So stop it.
Take this time to focus on speaking kindly to yourself. If you feel upset that you’re not getting things done, make a plan for how you can get them done when you feel better, or how you could ask someone for help.
Meditate or journal and release your thoughts from that deep dark part of your brain. Acknowledge them. And practice forgiveness and self love. Say out loud in the mirror: “I am allowed to rest.”
Finding ways to progress in your fitness and nutrition goals while you’re sick is essential, too! I’m willing to bet that a lot of the negativity you feel is that you now have to stop all the hard work you’ve been putting in to your health. But that’s not the case. So, in honor of your mental health, and to show yourself that you can keep sticking with your goals, find ways to move.
Move
If you’re not burning up with fever, try going for a slow walk. Like I always say: some minutes are better than no minutes! Make an effort to get in a walk or try my “I-don’t-feel-like-working-out” workout. It’s easy to do with minimal exertion. Or even some stretching or foam rolling are an awesome way to treat your body when you feel like sh!t.
Each of those things will keep your body progressing and keep that savage momentum going. It will make you not only feel better physically just by getting some blood flowing, but will keep you feeling proud of what you’re doing for yourself. And that goes a long way!
Take my Mindful Mamas™ course and learn to make a healthy choice throughout your days part of your routine. It’s not just about sweating for an hour or eating a kale salad ;)
Get better fast!
Don’t make yourself suffer through it. Eat healthy when you can, hydrate, get some essential oils (you can email my EO mama here for any questions! FWIW, I don’t stand to profit at all from your order). Get the blood flowing with some movement and help your mind feel at peace with your limited capabilities and love yourself no matter what!
Because you’re awesome.