Parents, as you enter into 2023, remember to breathe. You have just gone through a very busy couple of months with Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years in close proximity to one another. You’ve had family come over, children off of school for a couple weeks, lots of cooking to be done, and plenty of other stuff on your plate. As you enter into this new year, it’s easy to want to keep your foot on the pedal and start the year off strong with this new year new me mindset. Though the intentions behind this mindset may be good, it is important to remember that even though it is a new year the importance of adequate rest does not change. Without it, you’ll burn out before you even reach the month of February. 

Step back and take a day, a weekend, maybe even a week if you can afford the time and just breathe. Before you jump into your next big project, sit back and just reflect on all that you’ve done in the past year or even your whole life. If you are in the position to do so, sleep in a couple of mornings. After the last couple of months, we all can use that! Take this time to do the things that you enjoy. If that’s sitting around and reading a book, do that! Whatever it is, enjoy it! You will find that entering this new year with a rested mind and body will do wonders for your attitude and outlook on the new year. 

Parents with young children or a time consuming job may have more difficulty finding time to rest. That is understandable as it is hard to find time for yourself to relax when you have so many responsibilities. That though does not mean you can use it as an excuse to neglect rest. The concept of always working or always being busy is not healthy in the long run as you will burn out eventually. Don’t let it be an excuse to not rest but a motivator to get creative. Find time to wind down together as a family or use the new year as a way to start managing your home-work life balance. Whatever it is, take care of yourself this year.