“We do this hard work

here on the bike to remind

ourselves that we can

do hard things.”

I am in the dark cool of my converted garage. My feet are strapped in to the Peloton, and my legs begin to pick up the pace against a soundtrack of old-school Britney Spears and instructor Robin Arzón’s trademark wisdom.

“What are you going to do to protect your peace today?” Arzón asks. “Send the babies out of the room. You carved out 20 minutes today for you. Honor this moment.”

As the music blares and my legs spin, my mind quiets. Everything about my situation says “overstimulation,” and yet I feel calmer than I have all day. This, Mama, is what they mean when they talk about meditation in movement. And these days, finding a little inner peace is a self-care practice all parents need more of.

SCHEDULE WITH (SELF-)CARE

Last week, I blogged about some of the best ways you can boost your physical energy throughout the day. Rejuvenating our minds is just as important. (Especially considering the connections between stress and illness.) And the best way you can set yourself up for success is by keeping your schedule a doable level of busy. 

So how do you meet all the demands of your life while still making time for yourself? The key is to have a centered vision for your life. When you are clear about your goals and priorities, it makes it much easier to decide what to do, what to delegate, and what to dump.

I have lived this. There was a time when I spent most of my days doing things I thought I should do, things I believed would make me happy in the long run. But, as I have said before, the only dividends those investments pay out are resentment and burnout.

Reevaluating my priorities (self-care, kids, travel) clarified what I needed to spend more of my time doing. From there, everything else started to click into place. Which brings me to my other big recommendation for recharging your mental energy…

FINDING MOMENTS OF MINDFULNESS

“Mindful” is one of those terms that gets thrown around a lot. But its popularity doesn’t diminish its impact: mindfulness brings us into alignment with the people we want to be and the experiences we want to have.

Carina Devi from the Mindful Mamas Club  expressed this beautifully when she joined me on my podcast  a few weeks ago. She recalled a time when she was snuggling with her son and started mentally planning out that evening’s dinner and grocery list. She caught herself, stopped, and returned to the moment. The sensation of feeling the rise and fall of her child’s chest as he breathed, of feeling his skin against hers, THAT was what she had dreamed of before he’d been born. THAT was what she wanted to focus on. Dinner could wait.

We can all learn from that, because we have all essentially been there. Whether it’s me thinking about patients while I’m spinning, Carina planning dinner during snuggle time, or any parent who’s spent a child’s soccer game returning emails instead of cheering from the stands, it’s all too easy to spend your days anywhere except where you are.

MINDFULNESS IN ACTION

So how can you give your mind the breathing space it needs? Here are a few ways to enhance (or start!) your mindfulness practice.

1. Create a morning ritual. Give yourself 10 minutes every morning to do something reflective that brings you joy. Sipping coffee while looking at your backyard, journaling, meditating, reading — it all counts. 
2. Practice meditation in movement. So much of each day consists of completing tasks on autopilot. (Think making lunches for the kids.) Turn those routine chores into meditative opportunities. That means tuning in to the world around you as you go through the motions of the task at hand. Don’t listen, judge, or think but simply notice the sounds, the light, and the smells around you. Observing creates connection, and connection serves to refresh the mind.
3. Start meditating for real. The benefits of meditation are extensive and include improved attention and memory, and reduced anxiety and fatigue. If you’re new to meditating, there are tons of great apps available to help you launch a practice. Check out Mindful Mamas Club for tips and methods specific to your stage of parenting, Headspace for a user-friendly experience, or Chorus for meditation set to pop music.
4. Just breathe. Toddler tantrums, problematic coworkers, traffic...when it comes to stressors, today’s world offers up plenty of options. So when you feel your heart rate start to rise, take a moment to slow down. Root your feet firmly to the ground. Place your hands in a soothing posture (like over your heart or stomach), close your eyes, and inhale slowly and deeply. Notice the pause between inhalation and exhalation. Then exhale loudly, almost like a sigh. Repeat two or three times to slow your heart rate and focus your mind.
5. Plug into a (perfectly paced) playlist. According to author and wellness expert Dr. Frank Lipman, listening to music with roughly 60 beats per minute helps regulate your heart rate, lower your blood pressure, and reduce tension. (Your internal rhythms, Lipman says, will naturally sync up with the external rhythms you’re hearing.) Not sure how many beats your favorite song is? Music by Bob Marley is a good example of the right rhythm. 
6. Unplug from your devices. In addition to unplugging at least an hour before bedtime, try to detach from all devices on the weekends. Giving yourself the chance to look anywhere except a screen means you have more opportunities to check in with the world around you.
7. Do less. This is especially true on the weekends. It’s so tempting to pack your schedule, but if pandemic-living has taught us anything, it’s the beauty of a streamlined lifestyle. Make your priorities the focus of your weekend and embrace the JOMO. 
8. Connect more. In the age of Zoom, this might mean video chatting with friends and family. And while getting on the phone for a scheduled call might feel like the last thing you want to do on Saturday afternoon, it’s different when the only purpose is to catch up with people you love. (Plus social connection is a top predictor for well-being.)

Mama, our minds form the foundation of our well-being. Keeping them healthy and energized makes us better partners, parents, professionals, and people. May we all find more mindful moments in our days.