Leeds Wellbeing Week takes place from 13th – 18th May 2019: one week of positive events in Leeds. In this blog post, founder Lucile Paisant explains why she set up the event and shares her wellbeing tips for busy parents.
How Leeds Wellbeing Week started
I created Leeds Wellbeing Week in 2017, in order to promote all the great wellbeing initiatives happening in Leeds all year long, and get Leeds people to try new things that might be part of their own wellbeing strategy.
How becoming a parent changed things
In 2018 I became a parent: so much joy; so much change; so much struggle! I tried to ‘do it all’ but I was heading for burnout. Luckily, I spotted the signs of stress and was able to take action. My first decision was finding a nursery, which my baby now goes to three days. I got some balance back, and I can focus on my projects knowing she is happy and safe.
It is so important to prioritise ourselves too! You need to take care of yourself first, so that you can take can of others.
Here are my practical wellbeing tips for parents
- Include ‘micro-breaks’ within your day
Daily life with little ones can be intense. We might not have time for a 30-minute workout video, but you should try to carve out a few minutes for yourself. I try to get a 5-10 minute ‘micro-break’, sitting down for a drink at naptime. No social media, no email, no emptying the dishwasher, no sorting out the toys. Just. Drink. My. Coffee. These few minutes enable me to relax, gather my thoughts and think about the next step. The tensions in my body slip away. Try it, it’s simple, it’s short, and it’s precious!
- Schedule your me-time and get organised
Make sure you book in some “me-time” at least once every week. Plan ahead and stick to it. I go to a weekly evening dance class. It’s not easy juggling childcare, teatime and bedtime routines. But I know this dance class makes me feel reenergised, so it’s worth it. Try to find something that makes you smile, get organised and make it happen!
- Listen to your gut
I found all the ‘shoulds’ hard after giving birth to my daughter. At five weeks, she should be doing this, at three months she should be doing that… I put so much extra pressure on myself! So instead I unsubscribed from all the baby newsletters and stopped listening to other people’s advice (however well meaning it was). I now use only two metrics: my daughter is gaining weight and she looks happy. Full stop.
- Good enough is enough
I’m a perfectionist, but when I tried to do it all I felt overwhelmed. Little ones take up a LOT of energy, time and emotion, so dealing with all the rest is a daily challenge. Seeing my struggles, my health visitor once told me ‘good enough is enough’. And it stuck with me since. I let go of some things to enjoy others. I stopped cooking homemade purees and just played with my daughter instead.
- Ask for help
Don’t try and do everything on your own. Sometimes, we all need a little help. Ask the neighbour or a friend to come around for a couple of hours so that you can rest, say yes to someone who offers to babysit your child, and talk to a friend or family member when it gets very hard. It’s ok to not be ok, and many people around you would love to help if and when you reach out. There is no shame in this, we were not meant to do it all on our own!
Leeds Wellbeing Week 2019 events for parents
There are two events mainly dedicated to parents this year:
- FREE Mental health and Wellbeing for Parents, on Wed 15 May at 1:30pm at HEART Headingley: a safe place for parents to come to, have a chat, some mindfulness and laughter! (kids welcome)
- FREE Family Painting workshop, on Sat 18 May at 11am at the Tetley: join a silk-painting artist for a great workshop that everyone in the family can enjoy!
And there are also many other events that you can browse by clicking here. Leeds Wellbeing Week is also on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.