How to increase your energy as a parent even (especially) WHEN you're busy

Are you exhausted at the end of each day?

Do you crave for more uninterrupted time and know more energy will help you be a better parent?

There is a certain satisfaction in getting to the end of the day and knowing you’ve got through the marathon that was the day: 

…school drop offs, pick-ups, mediating sibling fights, lunches, work deadlines, walking the dog, taming tantrums, prepping dinner, baths, bedtime, storytime…you KNOW the drill intimately. 

But day after day, week after week, month after month, autopilot kicks in. You’re existing, exhausted and only good for a Netflix show at the end of the night. 

And if you’re honest, you are feeling a little daunted to face it all again tomorrow. So much so, you toss and turn in your sleep with your to-do list. 

Which leaves you feeling more exhausted because you don’t get a decent night’s sleep. 

Now I know this is common. So if everyone else is feeling the similar grind, it’s just the way it’s got to be…right? 

Well, what if it’s not?! 

What would you do if you had more energy?

Maybe…. have more fun time with your child…

… take that course you’ve had your eye on, but didn’t know how to fit in. 

… go out (or stay in) for a hot date with your partner? 

…start on the side hustle you’ve been dreaming about. 

…have a night out with friends

Or… curl up in bed to read a good book (without falling asleep by the end of the first sentence!) 

In my work with families over the last decade, I’ve found 4 areas radically transform a parents' energy. Do you recognise any of these in your parenting? 

1. Discover who you are and what you need

I’m going to go out on a limb here and say that there is only ONE of you (unless you have a doppelganger, but that doesn’t count!) and whilst you are keeping all the balls in the air,  you and your needs are getting ignored.

I know what you’re thinking… this is nothing a night/weekend away, a decent night’s sleep or massage won’t fix. 

Truth is this will help temporarily and you’ll feel good for a few days, maybe even a week but then…. the overwhelm and exhaustion slowly creeps in again. 

What you really want is a break without being interrupted. 

And asking politely, doesn’t get you there. What really needs to change is understanding yourself and what healthy boundaries look like for you. Your ability to be able to say yes to things you really want to do and No to the things you don’t. 

And feeling aligned (not guilty), whilst you're doing it.

It took me years to figure out I’m at my best when I recharge on my own. And the weekend get together I was scheduling in with another family was the exact opposite of that.

Don’t wait as long as I did to figure out who you are and what you need.

2. Get on the same page with your partner

Whether you are a single parent, two-parent or multi-parent blended family, being on the same page with your parenting views is mission critical to having a family life you love and loves you back!  

Those daily niggles of how you respond to your child if they want to watch an extra show when it’s bedtime or what to have as a snack after dinner or which sport or activity they should do. 

Learning to work together as a healthy and happy team helps distribute the mental load without the constant asking or ruffling feathers. 

3. Consider communication with your child

Children know which buttons to press. And they know when you’re distracted, ‘cause that’s when they ask for the “treat” snack. ;) 

It’s hard to keep it together when you’re being interrupted for the 200th time and you lose your patience as you watch your child walking away, spirit crushed. You feel bad and it’s a lose-lose situation and draining for everyone. 

Learning to place a pause in between the event and your response, is probably the single most heavy weighted tool you can have in your tool kit to quadruple your energy. 

Done right, it allows you to process your own feelings, choose the response that's going to get the best outcome for you and your child and keep their spirit intact -  all in a split second (once you’ve nailed it). 

Now, instead of an escalated situation that would have played out for a few hours, you’ve got it handled in seconds. 

And breathe…

4. Invest in a coach

Ever wondered why some parents seem to have it all together with loads of energy left over. 

Knowing who you are and living life in a way that aligns to your natural motivations GIVES you energy. 

I had dismissed me and my needs so much that I didn’t even know my favourite colour…let alone, who I was and what I wanted as a parent. 

There is nothing more valuable than having support. It holds you to a higher standard to be your best as a parent. 

Receiving clarity, guidance, and feedback from an expert who has achieved what you want to achieve, and who is further along in the journey is priceless, and will propel you faster than anything else. 

We can’t reach our potential as a parent without help from others. 

You deserve to have a full reserve of energy and enjoy daily family life to its maximum. 

Your family will thank you. 

P.S. Is it time for you to start doing the things that light you up and give you the energy you deserve?

I have a workshop coming up called ‘Understanding Your Leadership Style’ that I think you’ll love. I dive deep into these 4 strategies, and show you exactly how to do them.

You’ll learn the fastest way to get your energy back, get your family on the same page and enjoy your time together again. 

Claim your free ticket here. 

Hope you can join us!

Dina x