This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #GiantEagleDelivers #CollectiveBias

Since becoming a mother, I’ve found it difficult to carve out “me time”. It’s usually a constant go-go-go – if not physically, then mentally. While I will never, ever complain about this because I LOVE being a mom, I’ve started to notice that the constant demands are definitely stressful. Which, I don’t mind stress and have always considered myself to work well under pressure but I need to start putting my health first and begin implementing a few new (like ordering my groceries to be delivered) and old strategies that I either know I need in my life or have worked well for me in the past! Here are a few of my ideas:

1) Have my groceries delivered. I remember a time where I used to enjoy grocery shopping and that was before Ava came along 🙂 In the past couple of years, it has become more of a chore than anything and a definite source of stress as a super busy toddler + confined shopping cart = one hot mess child AND mama. I know you can relate – if you get a couple of hours away from the house without the kiddos, grocery shopping is probably one of the last things you really want to do – but of course, we all have to do it!

Enter Giant Eagle’s Curbside Express Home Delivery! Woohoo! By now, you’ve probably heard that you can order online and pick up your groceries at their store, but their new home delivery service is WONDERFUL! Bonus: On your first order, the small delivery fee is waived! Simply go to Giant Eagle’s Curbside Express website, pick your store, and start shopping! For added convenience, you can also access your “Shopping History” to shop even faster in the future by connecting your Advantage Card to your account.

Then, a personal shopper gathers all of your groceries for you. When I recently used the Home Delivery service, the shopper actually called me to tell me about a better deal on chicken than the one I had selected – BOGO! I thought that was so helpful and it’s nice to know it’s not a robot or computer choosing my food. I also added notes to my order to indicate I wanted “slightly green” bananas and “one ripe and two avocados that are not ripe”. I received just what I had requested which gave me confirmation I was still in control of my grocery shopping!

Finally, you quickly select what time you’d like for them to deliver your groceries (you can choose next day or even have them deliver up to 7 days from when you order) and make sure you’re home. It was so nice that I didn’t have to heave heavy items like bottled water into my car, especially being pregnant right now. I’ve never had such a painless grocery shopping experience plus seeing my shopping cart + total price online will make it much easier to budget this year!

2.) Read more. I know it’s cliché, but setting aside time each day to read a book or a magazine is something that helps me unwind and relax. In recent past years, I’ve let social media and my computer take the place of this, which has been okay, but does not always help my stress levels. There’s no replacement for lighting a yummy candle or diffusing oil, drinking a cup of hot tea, and cozying up with a good book before bed. Non-fiction is my favorite but I’ve found that fiction is the best for me in terms of escape!

3.) Exercise. Playing high school sports instilled in me how to go hard during a workout. I plan on getting after it again after having my baby this spring and recovering from delivery. I honestly had no motivation after Ava was born to shed my pregnancy pounds, they basically just came off with breastfeeding, which is the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my entire life! This time around, I actually have a goal to become stronger. Nothing crazy! I like lifting light weights with a lot of reps and also doing yoga. I know I’ll have to add in some cardio with that but I’ll have to stay focused as to why I need to exercise: To clear my head, rev up the endorphins, and gain some sanity back that I’m anticipating to be lost while juggling life as a family of 4 🙂 It’s true what they say – if mama ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy!

4.) Prepare healthy snacks. It’s all about habits and I’m totally out of the habit of meal/snack prep! Having my groceries delivered will play a large role in this! When I’m hungry, like most people, I tend to grab whatever is easiest and most visible! This means that nutritious foods like carrots and berries that are still in their original packaging are bypassed frequently! A few years ago, I went on a majorly healthy eating spree. When I think back to that time, I had so much energy! I would get home from the grocery and immediately wash my produce and section them into various glass containers or snack bags that could be easily accessed! I plan on doing this again this year.

5.) Get rid of clutter. I am not OCD but Y’ALL clutter stresses me out! It’s like staring at a constant to-do list. Our kitchen island/table has been the go-to for anything and everything that needs put away or tended to: Bills, mail, coupons, Ava’s clothes, note cards… you name it and I’m sure it’s been on that table at least one time! I decided this year we have to have that island as more of a functional piece in our kitchen since we don’t much counter space as it is. It was time for a family “command center!” On one wall of our laundry room, we now have a wire rack basket that houses coupons and mail, a calendar that keeps us up to date on our busy schedules, and a coat rack with Ava’s coats. This space has already been so helpful in just having a place for these frequently used but often disorganized items!

I’d love to hear any of your ideas of how you lower your stress!