Five minutes for mum.

It’s not always easy being the mum in a household, especially if you’ve got young children at home with you in the daytime. You can feel like you’re being pulled in all directions – with the kids to think about, the house to keep in order. That would be enough to keep anyone busy, but most of us have to add work into the mix too; whether it’s working from home or going out to an office.

What lots of mums do, though, is try to battle on throughout the day without a break. And, though you may think this is a way to keep on top of everything, what you’ll actually end up doing is running on empty. We all need a break now and then, and if you can only take that break five minutes at a time, it’s still definitely worth doing.

So how can you spend those five minutes of relaxation? Here are a few ideas:

Play a game

Smartphones and the internet make our life so much easier! You can login to a bingo site like Tidy Bingo or Costa at any time and join in a game for a few minutes of fun and distraction from the routine. Bingo’s a great choice as you don’t need to work hard to play – you simply buy a ticket and watch what happens as the software daubs the numbers for you. If you visit Costa bingo you’ll find that there are lots of free games on the schedule, so you don’t even have to pay to play. Of course, there are no guarantees that you’ll win, but you’ll still have a few minutes of fun from playing.

Close your eyes

This one may not be possible if you work in an office, but if you work from home, take yourself away from your desk and to a quiet space. Lie down and close your eyes, and focus on the breaths that you take. Try not to let any other thoughts enter your mind and instead concentrate on breathing in and out, more deeply with each breath. It may not send you into a meditative state, or be as beneficial as a power nap, but you’re guaranteed to feel calmer and refreshed after five minutes of focused breathing.

Get some fresh air

Staying inside all day isn’t good for you. Even if you only take a quick walk around the block, you’ll feel better for getting some fresh air. It’s easy to think that you don’t have time to do this, but it’s only the same amount of time that you’d take to make and drink a coffee. A quick change of scene can do you the power of good.

File your nails

Do something for me when I could be hanging out the washing?! Yes, take some selfish moments and do something that’s just for you. You’ll still get everything else done, and maybe something will have to wait until tomorrow, but you’ll have made yourself feel better by having a little me-time.