As a busy mum, I’m always on the go and have so much in my head to remember; making sure everyone else has what they need when they need it. I have to remember so many things but one thing I tend to put on the back burner is myself. Reconnecting with nature is an easy place to start for me to look after me.

Taking a little time for ourselves just to reconnect helps us to keep going and can help with focussing too. It doesn’t have to necessarily be a hot bath or curl up with a good book. I’m talking about getting outside and reconnecting with nature and yourself.

When was the last time you had time to yourself – no kids, no partner, no chores, no work? Just you?

It’s probably been a while.

Going to a park isn’t just about a green space found in nature, for me, helps me to reduce stress and boosts my mental health allowing me to reconnect with nature, myself and gives me some much needed clarity if I’m stuck on a project or a problem. There’s likely to be somewhere you can go nearby, or even in the garden, and won’t cost you any money.

Here are some ways of reconnecting with nature

Tip 1 – Walk barefoot – Revive

I’ve started with this as it’s one of my favourites. Go somewhere like a park, sandy beach, lake or even your garden and just walk barefoot. Shoes can be quite restrictive so let your feet get some freedom and wiggle them around. Walk around and let your feet feel the ground beneath them and just breathe. Feeling the grass under my feet is one of my favourite feelings and helps me relax.

Tip 2 – Sit and breathe – restore

If walking barefoot isn’t your thing, find a quiet spot somewhere outside, and sit on the ground with your eyes closed. Focus on your senses – What do you hear? What can you feel on your skin? What can you smell? How are you feeling? Let your senses do their thing. If you’re restricted on time, put a timer on your phone so you can focus on yourself. Give yourself a good ten minutes.

Tip 3 – Lying on the ground – revitalise

I’ve done this before at the park and, at first I felt a bit silly, but it was a really nice day and quickly stopped thinking about the people in the park. Lying on the grass was something I hadn’t really done since I was a child. I lay there and just looked up at the sky, trying to see what shapes I could see in the clouds, something else I used to do as a child. Looking at birds flying around or planes carrying their passengers.

When we forget about looking after ourselves, we end up burning ourselves out but it’s still business as usual until our bodies say “nope, I’m not going to do anything until I’ve had some rest”. When something goes wrong, we always find the time to manage whatever crisis we are trying to avert.

Why can’t we find time for ourselves?

Here’s a great article from BBC for further reading

If you’re ready to start taking care of yourself while being kind to the environment, grab the 8 BUSY MUM ECO SWAPS SELF-CARE EDITION download packed with tried and tested DIY recipes, cost comparisons and money-saving voucher codes

These are my opinions and some ideas that work for me but may not work for everyone. Here are my terms & conditions for further reading