A tip for busy moms - Read "Take Care Tips"

Book Review - Take Care Tips:  How to Care for Yourself When You're Taking Care of Others

When she was just a child, Jennifer Antkowiak's mother suffered from post-partum depression. Antkowiak found herself taking care of her parents as well as her three younger sisters.  Then she grew up and had five children of her own to care for.  And in 2004, her mother-in-law was diagnosed with terminal cancer.  Suddenly juggling a busy career as a television anchor for KDKA-TV, raising five kids and caring for her mother-in-law, Antkowiak let herself go.

She wasn't sleeping well, eating well or exercising.  Taking care of others had taken a toll on her- she ended up in the hospital with chest pains.  Her doctor gave her a stern warning - take care of yourself before it's too late.

It was then that Antkowiak set out to take better care of herself.  She took a few minutes each day to do something just for her.

"I realized that I was waiting for the perfect storm. I always said when everything calmed down I'd take care of myself. But that perfect storm never came, there's always something to be done. If I don't take care of myself now, I never will" Antkowiak said, remembering those days after her hospital scare.

Spending the last few years gathering tips to take care of herself, Antkowiak was inspired to share these tips with the world.  It's just her nature, to take care of others.  Her latest effort in her desire to "take care of everyone" comes in her new book, "Take Care Tips:  How to Care for Yourself While You're Taking Care of Others", released in April.  (Available from Amazon and in local bookstores for $14.95)

"Take Care Tips" is a great handbook for anyone that spends a majority of their time caregiving.  I know the book was originally intended for caregivers of the sick or elderly, but it's an easy jump to the life of a caregiver and the life of a mother.  What do mothers do? They spend their days taking care of others, often not stopping long enough to spend even a minute taking care of themselves.

This is where "Take Care Tips" can help.  Each of the 101 tips is something that can be done in 10 minutes. No matter how busy we get, we can certainly carve out ten minutes of the day to take care of ourselves, right?  "Take Care Tips" can help you do just that.  It's an easy read, light and humorous and just small enough to fit in your purse or diaper bag.  It's a perfect fix for those fleeting free moments we might have at the park while the kids are playing. No plot line to remember, no chapter to finish, just simple, easy tips that we can read in a moment or two and then implement later on in the day or when the kids go to bed.   If you can't remember the last time you had your hair done or take a long hot bath, you need to read this book.

Some of the tips involve a little bit of physical activity (Tip #13 - Work it off and Tip #22 - Just Walk) but some are pure and simple relaxation (Tip #10-Make Time for Tea and Tip #59 -The Multitasking Bath).  There are even tips for eating right and some simple recipes for busy moms (Tip #37 Easy Yogurt Fruit Snack and Tip #38 - Multitasking Salsa).  Each tip is nicely laid out on a two-page spread with coordinating graphics.  

This book struck close to home for me personally. Not only do I try and take care of my family and work two jobs, but my husband and I are also handling the care of his father who suffers from dementia. This has proven to be an extremely difficult time for us emotionally and this book has been our little guide to making sure we're ok. Both of us have made a serious effort to do some little things at the end of each day to help take care of ourselves (baths or reading for me, exercise or staring at the lava lamp for a few minutes for hubby) and it's really made a big difference.

I was really struck at how caring Antkowiak was in our interview.  I expected to be asking all of the questions, but she turned the tables on me and started asking about my father-in-law and how I'm doing. I have no idea how she does all that she does and still maintains such a positive attitude and manages to make everyone around her feel so comfortable and cared for, but she has a real gift. And that gift clearly shines through in her writing of this book. 

In this day and age, with so many aging baby boomers and people our age trying to multitask and do too much, this book is especially timely.  Whether you're taking care of an elderly parent or grandparent, or just stretching yourself thin with your own family commitments, now is the time to start taking care of yourself.  And the first step should be reading "Take Care Tips". 

My favorite tip?  #16 by far.  What is it?  Go read the book and see. :)

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About the Author

Jennifer Antkowiak is a wife, mother of five young children, and a caregiver to her father-in-law and step-daughter. Jennifer learned about caregiving at a young age when her mother died suddenly after a heart attack at age 50. The oldest of four girls, Jennifer stepped in to help her dad take care of her sisters. More recently, Jennifer worked with hospice to take care of her mother-in-law who died of cancer.

An award-winning TV News Anchor, Reporter, and Talk Show Host, Jennifer is now founder and CEO of jennifer Productions, a multimedia company on a passionate mission to make life easier for busy women and families, with a special focus on the world’s caregivers.

Jennifer is now founder and CEO of jennifer Productions, a multimedia company on a passionate mission to make life easier for busy women and families, with a special focus on the world’s caregivers.

Jennifer is Executive Producer and Host of jennifer, a weekly TV talk show that strives to empower women and families with information they need to live happier, healthier lives. Jennifer is Executive Producer of jenniferTVshow.com - a web site that connects people around the world with Real Life. Real Easy. tips and ideas.

Jennifer is a regular contributor to newspapers and magazines, is developing lines of make life easier products, and is in development for nationally-syndicated television, and radio shows for caregivers.  Jennifer is also a sought after motivational speaker.

For 18-years, TV viewers have trusted Jennifer and bonded with her, saying they admire her warmth, wit, and wisdom. Those qualities shine through in Jennifer's first book, Take Care Tips, making it feel more like a friend than a book.