LIVING Self-Care

Back for the 21-day self-care challenge? Aren’t you proud?!

Like most women, you’re an expert multi-tasker, priding yourself on answering the phone, stirring the stew, juggling the baby, and writing a check–all at once. But we’re fooling ourselves about multi-tasking’s effectiveness. Research shows that efficiency increases when we really tune into the process.

Experiment with this by practicing mindfulness, the antidote to tuned-out multi-tasking. Pick a treat that you really relish; perhaps chocolate or the freshest piece of fruit. Sniff the aroma. Feel your mouth salivate. Touch the tiniest bit to your tongue. Is it sweet, salty, cold, juicy? Hold the first bite in your mouth for a moment. Swirl it around, note the feeling as your teeth begin to chew. Continue to consume the treat slowly, zeroed in on every sensation.

Practice this mantra: “Live in the moment, do what matters most, forget the rest.”

Copyright © 2010 by Ann Dunnewold and Diane Sanford, authors of Life Will Never Be The Same: The Real Mom's Postpartum Survival Guide.