How To Breathe Properly: Calm And Relaxation For Homeschooling Moms
There are lots of stresses and strains in a regular homeschooling day! Learning how to breathe properly is a great way to stop yourself from snapping at the kids and make yourself feel calm. Part of homeschooling happiness is learning how to relax, so I’m setting you a Challenge to teach yourself the right way to breathe.
“I love this week’s Happiness Challenge. I have my timer set on my phone to remind me to breathe.”
~ Angie, Courageous Homeschooling Facebook group
Why Is Breathing Important?
Durrrrrr…well, of course, we all breathe without thinking about it. But it turns out that if you learn how to breathe properly you can use it as your go-to survival method when the kids are really getting on top of you and the stress seems too much to handle.
Breathing is something you can control. It gives you a chance to anchor yourself., so when you’re feeling anxious, it will help bring you back to the present and help stop your mind sliding down into a helter-skelter of worry.
Learning How To Breathe
With our busy lives, we tend to breathe shallow and fast until it becomes a habit that we don’t pay attention to.
Once you start doing deep breathing (diaphragmatic breathing) you’ll find all sorts of benefits.
We all know that especially when you’re tired and it’s the end of the day it’s very hard not to lose it with the children.
Breathing properly really helps. And the science proves it because it’s been shown that taking deep breaths lowers the stress hormones cortisol and adrenaline in the bloodstream.
I’m going to suggest a number of different techniques for breathing depending on how much of a rush you’re in.
Using Your Breath To Deal With Homeschool Anger
Having a mommy ‘temper tantrum’ is something we might not like to admit, but keeping your patience going all day long (often after having been up in the night) is something even the most patient among us struggle with.
Homeschooling Moms are only humans. And it would help us all to admit that we’re not perfect and we all start yelling sometimes.
That’s where what I call emergency breathing comes in.
This isn’t hard.
Just pause and take two or three deep calming breaths.
The important part is to breathe deep enough so your tummy fills out. And take it slow.
It’s amazing how taking the time to just breathe those two or three breaths helps you get a handle on why you’re about to lose it over the writing that looks like a spider crawled over the page, or the fact your child isn’t listening to you.
Of course, it’s always a good idea when you’ve calmed down to think about what’s caused you to be angry and lose it.
It usually signals that something else is going on.
That “something else” is often fear.
- Are you scared that your children will make you look bad?
- Are you scared that your child isn’t keeping up?
- Are you scared you can’t teach your child and they aren’t going to get the results they deserve?
Fear and the worry that you can’t do it is one of the great problems that we face as homeschooling Moms. Have a look at some of the self-help books, particularly Susan Jeffers Feel The Fear And Do It Anyway, for some really helpful ideas of how to build up your confidence and put those fears to bed.
Please note that the book links on this page are affiliate links so if you buy I receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Regular Deep Breathing
This is one of the best methods I’ve seen for learning how to breathe properly:
- Put one hand on your chest, the other on your stomach.
- Let your shoulders relax.
- Push your stomach out slightly.
- Breathe in and push your stomach out a little more as you do so.
- Make sure the hand that’s on your chest doesn’t move that much.
- As you breathe in, count to 3.
- Hold your breath and count to 3.
- Breathe out slowly for the count of 6.
- Repeat another 2 or 3 times.
This video might help because you can follow along:
“Breathing really does make a difference. I’ll have to see if hubby wants to join me as he’s loving the breathing techniques in the power yoga we’ve started. “
~ Beth, Courageous Homeschooling Facebook group
In the Happiness Challenge book (see below) I have made a chart you can fill in as the week goes along so you can tick off you have remembered.
It might sound a bit over the top, but habits take time to settle in. If you can make breathing properly part of your day then you will have learned one of the simplest and most effective exercises for bringing calmness and peace.
Breathing Techniques
Members of my Courageous Homeschooling Facebook support group have come up with a number of different ways to check your breathing and see how much better you feel.
Angie found the blue dot method – try it, it really works!
“Another breathing technique is where you close one nostril with your thumb and inhale through other nostril. Close both nostrils, hold your breath and exhale out the other nostril. Then inhale out the nostril you exhaled hold breath and exhale out of other nostril.”
~ Angie, Courageous Homeschooling Facebook group
“Since we are sharing variations, I’ve always liked this one. Breathe in as deeply as you can through your mouth and hold it while you then breathe in as deeply as you can through your nose. Hold for just a second or two and then exhale slowly. Fills up your lungs entirely. “
~ Beth, Courageous Homeschooling Facebook group
Mindfulness Breathing
When you relax and concentrate on your breathing it allows you to slow down and concentrate on what’s happening around you.
The most basic way to do mindful breathing is simply to focus your attention on your breath, the inhale and exhale. Otherwise, simply observe each breath without trying to adjust it; it may help to focus on the rise and fall of your chest or the sensation through your nostrils.
I must admit though I do struggle with my mind wandering. The good news is that I know I am not alone and the answer is not to worry about it but just to keep bringing your mind back to your breath.
However, for me I often find doing a craft activity like learning how to draw a Mandala is a great help as my breath naturally slows and then I am also in a more open frame to think about my breathing.
Learning how to breathe properly is just one of the 23 Challenges set out in the Happiness Challenge coursebook.
Happiness Challenge for Homeschooling Moms
Please note that the book links on this page are affiliate links so if you buy I receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Want to remember this? Post this How To Breathe Properly page to your favorite Pinterest board!
