RECHARGE YOUR BATTERIES: 5 TRICKS THAT WILL HELP PARENTS IMMEDIATELY
Battery empty, task list full? Looks familiar. This is often the normal madness of everyday life with family and job. It is therefore particularly important for parents to recharge their personal batteries in between – just like we do with our smartphones. Here are a few express loading methods.
I’m always looking for new time management and anti-stress tips. On the one hand, because there is still a lot to be optimized in our everyday family life, on the other hand, I would like to pass on the tips here in the blog. I got some good ideas from the book “More Time” * by Jake Knapp and John Zeratsky. The two have a relaxed style (like many US authors), but still present many practical lifehacks that can be used directly in everyday life. I summarize the best methods to recharge your batteries for you.
Trick 1: Recharge your batteries through movement
It sounds a bit paradoxical, but if you are mentally and physically on the ropes, movement will get you moving again. The reason: Even the most relaxed sport reduces stress because the muscles are in action and happiness hormones are released – a 20-minute walk is enough, you should definitely try it out. Tension melts away and the head clears again (especially during outdoor activities in the countryside).
A quick workout that charges the batteries and makes you strong:
The 3 x 3 workout – 3 exercises that last 1 minute each
– Push-ups (1 minute, as many repetitions as possible)
– Squats (1 minute, as many repetitions as possible)
– Bicep curls (1 minute, as many repetitions as possible)
Trick 2: Recharge your batteries with the right coffee strategy
Of course, caffeine wakes you up. Everyone knows that. However, too much caffeine is counterproductive. The time for the coffee push should also be chosen cleverly. For example, according to experts, we don’t need coffee early in the morning because our energy levels are rising and rising anyway. Knapp and Zeratsky recommend the following coffee strategy:
Don’t drink coffee when you wake up or rely on decaffeinated coffee. Have breakfast and start the day. A large glass of water with lemon juice will help.
Have your first cup of coffee between 9:30 and 10:30 a.m.
Drink the last cup of coffee of the day between 1:30 and 2:30 p.m.
After 2:30 p.m., coffee jeopardizes the night’s sleep, which is so important for stressed people.
Trick 3: Recharge your batteries with unprocessed food
Our bodies are designed for certain foods – fresh, natural foods without preservatives and other artificial additives. Industrially processed foods stress the organism. Nutrition expert Michael Pollan advises a focus on “real foods”. For example:
Fruit,
Vegetables,
Fish,
Nuts,
seed,
Meat.
A particularly healthy strategy that Pollan recommends: With every meal, put the vegetables or salad on the plate first, then the rest. In everyday life, it is important to have healthy snacks with you. This includes dark chocolate (with a cocoa content of 80 percent and more). Almonds are also ideal as a snack because they contain a lot of protein and fill you up.
Trick 4: Recharge your batteries through quiet zones and rest periods
Two small everyday rituals reduce the stress level enormously
10 minutes of meditation per day
20 minutes walk
Don’t worry, you don’t have to look for a guru. There are several really good meditation apps for smartphones, with many of the guided meditations being free (I recommend 7Mind, Balloon, and Headspace). Within the apps, programs of different lengths can be selected.
Breathing meditations are also a good way to recharge your batteries quickly because our brain needs oxygen to regain its equilibrium. Apps like Breathwork help with this. Certain breathing techniques have a positive effect on the vagus nerve and thus set the course for relaxation. This sometimes only takes a few minutes.
Forests are ideal quiet zones. The Japanese systematically resort to “forest bathing” because the green of the plants dampens stress hormones and lowers our blood pressure. We also fill up fresh oxygen in the forest, which spreads through our lungs throughout the body. For the body and the psyche, a new kick.
Trick 5: Recharge your batteries through sleep optimization
An hour before bedtime, switch all technical devices to dark mode, dim the lights in the apartment, and slowly come down. It is not only extremely difficult for children to suddenly fall asleep – many adults also struggle with it. Especially in the summer when it is light outside for a long time. In such phases, a sleep mask helps – you can get it from Amazon & Co. for 10 euros *. Dark curtains are also an advantage in the bedroom.
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