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In between nappy changes, phonics lessons and making dinner, how can Moms get their original IQ’s back? How do we make time for intelligence and personal growth?
IQ death. I know what it’s like. I started off studying a Math degree. I ran a business, spoke to masses of people, interviewed people, taught kids. I worked with numbers, loads of data and drank lots of hot coffee. In the evenings I read piles of books, and painted on weekends. And then the best thing ever happened to me.. I had a baby. And another.. and another.
And as my free time dwindled to nothing, and my coffees {if they even got made} were cold, I noticed this strange feeling, somewhere around the time sleep deprivation made my memory mush.. I felt stupid! Like a part of my brain had died. I woke up one day and realised that I had not painted in .. well, too long. The books on my bedside table, which I repeatedly packed away because they were never used, and then unpacked because I liked the feeling of books by my bedside, were covered in dust.. it was my own fault, but the death of intellectual stimulation snuck up on me over 4 years, just like that. Can you relate?
THE WAY BACK TO A HIGH IQ
So how do we, as busy baby-juggling moms, get back to a place where we’re using our minds, challenging ourselves and growing?
1. DIARIZE SOME TIME EACH MONTH TO GET AWAY AND WORK ON A HOBBY
Diarizing is key – if it doesn’t get booked in advance, and planned by all parties involved (ie. hubby-babysitter), chances are it will be overtaken with more pressing things.. like mountains of washing. Diarize it, and then GO! – to a writing workshop, a weekend away at a conference, a morning out at an art studio… what do you love doing, and how can you plan to get more of that activity into your life?
2. NEVER UNDERESTIMATE THE POWER OF 15 MINUTES
– Love writing? Keep a notebook {or a few} around the house and write a line or two when you have a moment. By evening, you’ll have some awesome ideas and thoughts down, and can work on them from there. Some famous authors have written awesome books like this – a line at a time, snuck in here and there.
– A MENSA book in the bathroom is nothing to be ashamed of…
– Reading a few pages before you fall asleep, or when you wake early, adds up fast. You can get through quite a few books each year this way..
Let go of the “all or nothing” approach. We all don’t have an uninterrupted hour or two a day to work on our hobbies/crafts/studies. Short spurts are what you have.. use them!
3. ONLINE COURSES & CLASSES
Online courses are fantastic. There are a number of schools and uni’s that offer classes online, and some of them are free too! Some courses you can do at your own pace, which works well for moms! You can study anything from Social Psychology to Creative Writing, Advanced Math to Beethoven’s Piano Symphonies.
USING WHAT YOU HAVE
Just think of how much you can fit into a day, if you take all the small 10 minute time slots and use them productively on something interesting or creative.
- How much could you fit into a week, if you read in the evenings?
- How much could you fit into a year if you get away once a month for a mom-time hobby retreat?
- How much you could fit into a year if you used each day, month and weekend building on your hobbies & interests.
- How many courses could you fit into a month if you diarized wisely? Interested in child psychology? Or oil painting? How much could you get done in a year?!
We so often overlook the small moments we have, waiting for a long chunk of time to appear, and it never does! So, in between doing the awesome job you do as a mom, think today about what you’d love to do more of this week.. month… year.
Recall the hobbies and interests you had pre- kids, and make a plan to get back into it. In no time at all, you’ll be feeling your mind working AMAZINGLY on things you find interesting.. or you’ll be feeling your creativity blossoming as you get back into a novel, or a project.
And while you’re doing all this growing and learning, you’ll be a more inspired, creative mom who Im sure your kids will learn from.
Begin. TODAY!
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TwoPlusCute says
I can relate a lot. Nice post, glad I am not the only one who felt literally stupefied by motherhood. I can not focus enough to follow online classes anymore.
If I may add a suggestion, we can also use the times we read to the kids, as an opportunity to revive our IQ. Reading from an encyclopedia or even mathematics, Shakespeare, etc. We can still make cute voices and stories about what we read but at least it will be something more alluring to our own brain.
Heidi says
Hi, I totally agree! I’ve started Ambleside Online this year with my 6 yr old, and am totally getting an education hehehe 🙂