4 Ways to Cope When Everything Gets on Top of You

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This past year has been one of the toughest for working parents. Juggling jobs, home life and homeschooling our children. There have been many times when I have just felt totally overwhelmed and I’m not going to lie and say there have been a few of my own tears shed too. It’s easy to feel like everything is piling on top of you and you just don’t know how to get ahead. When I am feeling like this there are a few things I do to help.

Look at your To-Do List and Halve It

This might sound impossible but bear with me. When you have so much to do you do not know where to start, you need to be realistic about what you are able to achieve. Write down everything that is going on for you right now. All you have to do and then go back through the list and be brutal. Maybe the house will have to get a bit messier this week, you can only focus on the key subjects for homeschooling and some classes have to slide, catch up with your boss or partner and talk about what is critical for the week and how you can divide labour. When you can’t do it all, somethings have to be dropped and that’s ok. Highlight the really important things and the rest will have to go, just for now.

Get Help with the Laundry

How much laundry does your household create? With 3 children, one still in nappies, four beds to change, towels and dog bedding I think it’s fair to say my family generate a lot! I have to do at least a load a day or I just fall behind. It feels like this growing pile that’s going to bury me if I don’t keep up with it and it doesn’t take much for me to look at that pile and wonder how on earth I am going to get back on top of it.

Let me introduce you to Laundryheap. They are a laundry service who operate in London, Birmingham, Manchester, Coventry, Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague, Doha, Kuwait City, Dublin, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Singapore, Boston, New York City, San Francisco, San Jose, Copenhagen, Stockholm, and Manama.

All you have to do it book a slot, they pick up your dirty laundry, take it away and bring it back clean. They turn it around in 24 hours and offer free collection and delivery. They offer a hot wash service and contactless delivery as part of their COVID initiative to keep their customers safe and their clothing sanitised. How amazing is that?

Make Time for Self Care

Now, this may seem a little contradictory when looking at point one. But I would argue without self-care you are not going to be able to deliver everything that you need to. By putting your own care first you are enabling yourself to be at the top of your game. So each day when you write your to-do list put down what you are going to do for yourself that day. In order to maintain your sanity and mental health.

Batch Cook and Meal Subscriptions

If you have a big week ahead, try and plan ahead. Batch cook meals and freeze them so you can just heat them up on the day. Like you’re own pre-made ready meal. Or alternatively, organise a meal subscription service that delivers all the ingredients and quick and easy recipes to you for on the busiest days so you just don’t have to think about it.

Finally, remember you’re doing your best. No one has experience of living through a pandemic like this. It’s hard, it’s uncertain, we’re missing our friends and family and the days are like rollercoasters. But you’re doing your best and getting through and you should be proud.