Being a hands-on father and the sole provider in the family can make a man’s life challenging. In the office, you feel the need to give your 110% in any project because doing so guarantees job retention or promotion. You cannot slack off for eight hours straight almost every day. Even during break time, you might think of how to complete your task efficiently so that you don’t have to extend your working hours.
The time you should spend for relaxation once you are home, though, goes to taking care of your kids. While you may be exhausted, you know how difficult it must have been for your wife to look after the young ones by herself for most of the day. So, it may only feel right for you to rest once the children are in bed and all the dishes are clean.
As noble as your intentions may be, you should still not forget that even machines couldn’t function 24/7. They need to cool down and receive occasional recalibration so that they can be useful for years. If you refuse to do the same for yourself, you might – knock on wood – collapse or acquire a life-threatening disease.
Here are ways to let go of stress without overlooking your responsibilities.
Avoid Multitasking
Stressful things are supposed to take place when you keep on telling yourself that you are no different from Superman. You may not have laser beams shooting out of your eyes, but you can watch every kid at home strictly even though you are doing something else. You may not be as strong as the superhero, but you can feed a fussy child and clean up their mess at once.
In reality, you should avoid multitasking as often as possible. You can finish all the tasks that do not require immediate attention once the kids are asleep. In case you are in a time crunch, you may ask for assistance from your friends or family members.
Teach Kids To Be Independent
Your stress may also come from the fact that all your kids depend on you to do everything for them. That is understandable if you have an infant who cannot walk and talk. However, in case your children already go to school, you should start teaching them how to look after themselves.
Say, your kid wants to change his or her clothes. Instead of picking the apparel, you may point the child to the drawers so that he or she can choose the clothes. You can also educate him or her as to how the legs should go in the pants, how to put on a shirt without their head getting stuck, et cetera. The more skills you teach, the less stressful your life can be.
Take A Break
The truth is, you can take some time off each week and go on a romantic date with your wife regularly. You may not have to pay a sitter if your parents or siblings are nearby, and they can take over the babysitting duties for a few hours. As long as all of your children are in perfect condition, you may also decide to leave them with the people you trust for at least a couple of days so that you and your spouse can travel without worries.
Avoid feeling guilty about wanting to take a break from all your work and home responsibilities. Everyone can feel that way, primarily if your last vacation happened ages ago. Even the most devoted mothers are not exempted from it.
When you have always been a busy father, imagining life without stress may be scary. At some point, you might think that it will entail neglecting your duties to your wife and kids. You may not feel used to allowing others help you out as well. However, if it means that you will be able to de-stress without letting go of your responsibilities as a husband and a father, you should grab the opportunity.
Good luck!