As a single mom, the world is on your shoulders. You are literally responsible for everything, work, children- life in general. During this covid-19 crisis, that overwhelming feeling is probably stronger than ever.  Whatever community support that you have relied on is literally gone for many of us. 

If you’re fortunate enough to have retained employment, you probably have to work from home and care for your child all at once. If you’re a full time single mom like myself, you are: mommy, daddy, teacher and the financial provider all in one. That would drive anyone past their breaking point! Below are 5 strategies that have helped me maintain my sanity throughout this challenging time:

1. ROUTINE

During this odd time, it’s tempting to sleep in and veg out on Netflix all day but seriously- how long can you do that for? You may ask yourself- why get out of bed early when there’s nothing to do? I get it- but it’s crucial to keep something of a routine. Otherwise, the days will blend together and this quarantine will feel never ending which can lead to a lack of hope..and maybe even depression.

For myself, I keep the same hours that I would normally have at work. I’ll admit that I don’t get up as early as I usually do- but one hour before my start time does the trick. My routine starts with making my coffee, reading my daily bible devotional and making a breakfast smoothie. After I get a few moments for myself, I get my son’s breakfast ready. Once he gets up, I get him ready for his homeschool assignments as I work.

By having a schedule for myself and my child, it helps to be productive even if we are just home.  I think it helps to have something to look forward to. Even if you have a short work/school schedule, after its done you feel a sense of accomplishment.

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2. MOVE (Even if only inside)

As a person that really enjoys the gym and running, this quarantine has been extremely difficult for me! One thing that gets me through the day may sound odd but helps- I do lots of things standing up. Rather than sitting and doing work all day, checking email, scrolling social media etc., I stand or walk around the house as I work. At first it may feel weird, but it becomes more natural the more you do it. 

I also committed to doing a minimum of 100 squats every day. If you break it up into 4 sets of 25- it goes by pretty fast. If you’re feeling frisky add 4 sets of sit-ups, jumping jacks and push ups for a full body circuit!

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3. GET CREATIVE WITH YOUR KID(S)

As the mom of an energetic eight year boy, we have definitely had to get creative with activities. Aside from building some movement time into our homeschool schedule (GoNoodle is a great source), we have made a point to do things that we normally don’t have time for. 

Easter Sunday we did some egg coloring with glitter paint which came out super cool. We also did some pastel painting on random canvases we had laying around. Get creative with what ever supplies you have on hand.

Pinterest has endless ideas for easy crafts and projects. For instance, we were low on glue but made our own slime out of hair conditioner and cornstarch a few days ago. It’s amazing what will fascinate kids these days!

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4. START THAT PROJECT

Is there something that you have been dying to do but have been putting off? I know as a single moms, we are generally too busy for passion projects but there really is no excuse now! Get that sewing machine out and watch some YouTube DIY videos, dust off that journal and start writing that book or like myself start your blog.

I have wanted to start a blog for EVER. So, I recently committed to it. I discovered many free resources on youtube and Pinterest That have been a huge help. I even taught myself to create my own website, which was very time consuming but saved me ALOT of money and has given me a sense of accomplishment in this rough time. I know you can do it too if that’s what you want. 

I recommend getting a planner or creating a weekly schedule. It helps me to plan my week at a glance and break my goals into small daily tasks. This makes things more doable and they add up at the end of the week. Whatever that project is, break it up into one small task each day and once you start- you won’t give up since you’re already on a roll!

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5. KEEP YOUR BEAUTY ROUTINE (more or less)

Another thing that may sound weird and I definitely don’t do this every day, but every few days I get ready as I usually would- even if I’m just staying home. I’m not big on make up so it’s pretty minimal but it helps to feel normal in light of everything going on. It can get discouraging being stuck at home so much and not being your usual self. I found that putting on some make up and taking a selfie with your kid can help to boost your self confidence. 

Also, make sure to pay extra care to your skin. Being indoors most of the time can definitely dry it out if you don’t take care of it. Remember to apply your daily serums or moisturizers.

I’ve personally decided to give my hair a break from the hot iron during most of this time and have taken time to apply deep conditioners. I’m sure it will pay off with shiny glossy hair after this quarantine is over! 

Take care of yourself mommas- your kiddos will thank you for it! And most importantly- keep hope alive as this will be over before we know it:)