When everything screams for your attention

Lately I’ve been thinking a lot about what it means to take care of myself.

You know how it is, finding balance as a work from home mum is seemingly impossible. It's definitely not going to be the same as that glorified stay at home mum-life that gets all the views on Instagram > pilates sessions, bubble baths, catchups with friends, pickleball... it's in the quiet, real-life kind of way that fits into the small cracks between work, motherhood, the constant to-do list, and the infamous mental load.

Because honestly? Everything around me is screaming for my attention.
And sometimes, I forget that I need attention too.

The kids have been taking turns being sick. Week after week, like a never-ending relay race of viruses, sniffles, and restless nights. I might even be losing track of medicine dosages and who’s taken what meds.

The big kid was sick again on Friday, food poisoning. Dad took him to the doctor that night, and he was prescribed antibiotics, which brought about an added layer of allergic rashes 😔

It was Friday when, really feeling awful, I told him to take a nap. He asked, “How long should I nap?”
I looked at him and said, “Do you want to nap just to nap, or nap to get better?”
He thought about it for a bit and said, “I just want to feel better.”

Same, kid. Same. (He did nap after all... for six hours!)

So I told him, “Mummy wishes she could nap all day too when I’m sick, but it doesn’t work like that for me anymore.”
And I realised how true that was. Somewhere along the line, resting stopped being something I could just do.

Now it feels like there’s always a list running in the back of my mind. Work tasks that need attention. What to feed the kids. What to cook for dinner. Who’s got swim lessons today. Bills that need paying. The list goes on.

Even when I’m tired, I keep going.
And yet, the more I go, the less of me there seems to be left at the end of the day.

So when people talk about “self-care,” or what I do for myself, I can’t help but laugh a little.
If I’m being really honest, my version of self-care these days looks like remembering to drink water, managing to shower before 10 p.m., or baking something sweet just because it makes me happy.

Recently, I tinkered with a granola recipe. Something I could throw together between answering emails and wiping sticky fingers and it turned out to be such a hit at home. Crunchy, golden, comforting.
There was something deeply grounding about it. The smell of toasted oats and honey filled the kitchen, and for a few moments, I could just be.

And maybe that’s what everyday self-care really is... finding those small moments that remind you you’re still here, even when everything feels like too much.

So here it is. My tiny act of care.
Crunchy, comforting, made on the stovetop in about 15 minutes, because that’s about as long as I have before I need to answer messages on Teams again.

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15-Minute Stovetop Crunchy Granola

(makes ~2 cups)

📃Print the recipe

Ingredients:
• 1 ½ cups rolled oats 
• ½ cup nuts or seeds (I used almond flakes and pumpkin seeds)
• ¼ cup white sugar 
• 2 tbsp honey
• 2 tbsp neutral oil
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• Pinch of salt
• ½ tsp vanilla extract

Steps:

1. In a pan, lightly toast oats. Remove from pan. Toast nuts of choice and remove from pan.

2. In the same pan, melt butter/oil + sugar + honey over medium heat until bubbly (like caramel).

3. Stir in oats + nuts + salt + cinnamon. Keep stirring for 5–7 mins until toasty and coated. The sugar will crystallise slightly and form crunchy bits.

4. Remove from heat, stir in vanilla.

5. Spread mixture on parchment and let cool completely (it hardens as it cools).
   → For extra crunch, pop it in the oven at 110°C for about 15 mins.

6. Break it up and enjoy... with milk, yogurt, ice cream, or just straight from the jar.

Notes:

- Pulse ½ the oats for smaller bits (great for toppings)

- Replace cinnamon with cocoa powder for a chocolatey version, or add mini chocolate chips after removing from heat.

- Use golden syrup in place of honey

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I know it’s “just granola.”
But sometimes, the smallest things become the biggest comforts.
A warm kitchen. The smell of honey and cinnamon. A spoonful of something that says, you’re allowed to rest, even if it’s just for a moment.

So if you’re reading this in between doing a million other things... hi, I see you. You’re doing a lot. And you deserve small, good things too.

Maybe that’s a nap. Maybe it’s a walk.
Or maybe it’s a jar of homemade granola waiting for you when the house finally falls quiet.

What’s your version of self-care right now, the real, messy, “this is all I can manage” kind?
Share it in the comments. I’d love to hear.