Maycember is Here
By Aria Walerski
Have you heard of the term ‘Maycember’? It’s a newer social media term which describes the craziness of May, by comparing it to the busyness of December and the holiday season. I assure you, this is a real thing and I am currently in the throes of it. My May is “maycembering” hard this year....between field trips, baseball games, track meets, birthday parties, and more, I barely have enough time to complete basic tasks, much less anything extra right now.
May is also National Mental Health Awareness Month. I find it slightly humorous that these two coincide as May is probably one of the months where I have the least amount of time to focus on my mental health. However, since I work in the substance use prevention and mental health field, I have been trying to stay on top of and effectively manage my mental load. I am someone who gets overwhelmed easily when the calendar is filled to the brim so finding a few minutes to take care of me is essential in making sure I don’t burn out.
Here are some of the ways I have been focusing on my mental health this busy spring season:
Taking 30 minutes for my physical health first thing. I don’t know about you but I always somehow push taking care of myself to the bottom of my ‘to-do’ list. Physical and mental health go hand in hand so it’s no wonder I was feeling the effects of neglecting this. However, for the last month, I have made a consistent effort to get in some exercise as early as I can manage it. Some days, this is a 2 mile walk at 8:30am after the kids are off to school. Other days, I have obligations and I’m taking a short strength training class on the Peloton app at 4:00pm. Life happens and I’m starting to realize that the circumstances are never going to be perfect, but I always feel better after getting in some movement.
Reading vs Scrolling. I, like many, have a habit of pulling out my phone to scroll when I have a few minutes to spare. Whether it’s waiting in the car pick-up line or for my child to get finished sports practice, that time scrolling adds up. In an effort to be on my phone less, I am trying to read more. I am a reader by nature so this swap wasn't terribly hard for me but it does take some forethought to bring my book with me when I go places now. The result has been so positive. I find myself looking forward to reading more and my anxiety (and my screen time) is down. Highly recommend!
Plan Ahead. I am a planner by nature but even I struggle with this during our busy seasons. I try to make a conscious effort during hectic times of the year to look at the week ahead the Sunday before, and plan accordingly. This might mean I see that my kids have sports practice a few evenings and I need to plan some easy meals so we don’t eat out. It also could mean that I need to chat with my spouse about expectations for the week and who is doing what. Either way, when I take the time to plan (and it’s usually only 10-15 minutes), I am more prepared and relaxed - which translates into the way I show up as a parent as well.
I consider doing these 3 things small gifts to myself during this busy season of life. They are a way for me to take care of myself, which really helps me overall with outlook and mindset. What are some small gifts that you give to yourself during busy seasons? I’d love to hear what you do so feel free to email us at dtownctc@gmail.com to share.
Happy Maycember to all who celebrate! ;)