Quarantine Diaries: Stressful Days

I had such a long stressful day of work and schooling yesterday, everything seemed to pile up, there seemed to be a new request or question at work every hour and the girls wanted full attention all of the time. I found myself getting nothing much done and getting short tempered with the girls who can do things independently, but at that moment decided they didn’t want to do their learning activities unless I joined in.

In the end, my better half rescued me, and them. He walked in just as I started to tell them off, and distracted them with cartoons on my home laptop and a bowl of fruit for the girls and some strawberries for me.

I ended up logging off to see to the children and get dinner ready and took some time to unwind. Then I ended up logging on to work again at 9pm after the little ones were in bed to try and catch up on stuff.

I decided two things, no more late hours, if it doesn’t get done, it doesn’t get done. And to take deep breaths and build in better breaks and self-care, even if that is as simple as going to sit in the garden and get some sun or stepping away to drink some water.

This morning I started to feel harassed again, when I was trying to work and get the girls to do some lessons at the same time. We ended up stopping to watch their online school assembly and agree tasks for the morning: reading and maths and then they get cartoons after lunch while I have meetings and my short tafseer (Quran explanation) class.

I am hoping I can have a gentle and sensible routine in Ramadan that lets me focus on worship, wellbeing and nurturing and caring for those around me.