how to get over the hum dums

hum dums = an existential crisis of boredom with the everyday routines

A normal week day for me:

6:15-6:30 AM, wake up, get ready and leave

(sometimes this includes getting my toddler a snack, drink and persuading him to go back to sleep with his dad)

drive to work , sip coffee, listen to podcasts (1 hour drive)

morning work- answer emails, meetings, ETC all the corporate work stuff

lunch- a workout at the gym or eating with friends

afternoon- more work, sometimes sneak in an afternoon walk at work , meetings , emails, etc

leave work 4 pm ish

1 hour commute. Fight sleepiness by listening to a juicy podcast.

arrive home 5:15/5:30ish with traffic. drop stuff off, change, let my dog out, feed cat, feed the horses and re-fill scrub water

6ISH, pick kiddo up, go home- play outside 1-2 hours. water the plants, fresh water & food for chickens, small tasks outside

the barn is a popular hangout spot after work

7:30-8: inside- dinner, laundry/dishes, lay out work clothes, etc small tasks

8:30 shower

then we play with the yoto player, i try to read until we both fall asleep,usually 10:30.

And I find moments of peace, joy, fulfillment in ALL of this.

But sometimes I just get tired in my bones. I'm tired of the gerbil wheel of daily hum dum. (I feel this way this week so this article is to myself)

How do I break this?

First the key is to recognize when I'm in this zone. Lots of times it takes me awhile this feeling. And normally this ramps up at the end of every week. Or when the SO has to work a full weekend. Or when I've had a week of just runing errands every day (I sat at the oil change place for 3 HOURS yesterday and that pushed me over the edge) I also notice this when it's been a long time since I've had a vacation (also why I believe moms/horse girls NEED to take vacations even though it's SUPER hard to leave the farm. I also notice this is tied to when my self worth is feeling lower.

So what do I do?

I know these things are a season but I need to work to get myself out of this slump.

In the day to day, I try to incorporate something exciting to me. Instead of staying at the farm, I will take kiddo to the park to walk. I just bought a super cheap little pool so we can play in the water and that's fun for me.

we love to mountain bike usually just around the farm during the week

I take a half day off work--or a day--this is probably the most important step. (SAHM's idk man hire a babysitter for the day or enlist a mom friend to cover for you or make husband take a day off work and leave??) remember happy parent = well balanced kid

I plan a vacation.

I buy myself a few new cheaper pieces of clothes or get my fair done to feel good about myself.

I will put in a headphone when I'm outside playing with my kid to listen to something fun while we play and this also keeps me off my phone when my brain just wants that instant hit of mindless scrolling.

I make sure to keep working out . lift heavy=feel accomplished=muscle mommy

I have an outing with some friends that make me laugh, bring the kiddo, go on a hike, have lunch with friends, this is very fulfilling the older I get the more I realize how important our friends are

And that's pretty much my toolkit at this age. Anyone got anything good to add on this for me??

Happy trails,

-A