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Encouraging Heroes. You can be one too.

It can be easy for a busy mom to over-extend herself. With so much pressure to be perfect, it’s little wonder that women often suffer from stress and exhaustion. Whether trying to live up to the idealized images in women’s magazines and Pinterest boards, or just trying to keep the household running smoothly, moms have a lot to deal with and sometimes they need to take a break.

You don’t have to be perfect all the time. Your house doesn’t always need to be spotless and you don’t need a gourmet dinner on the table every night. Sometimes, it’s okay to just order a pizza and relax for the evening.

5 ways that ordering a pizza can actually help you maintain your sanity

  • It keeps the kitchen from getting messy. If you’ve spent all day cleaning the house, the last thing you want is to make a mess in your spotless kitchen. On days when cleaning was particularly tedious and time-consuming, ordering a pizza can save you a lot of hassle.
  • You can take a night off. On days you’re too tired, busy, or preoccupied to cook, having a backup plan can be a lifesaver. You can schedule a regular “mental health day” and plan to have alternate dinner plans, whether that’s a pizza delivery or having someone else make dinner. Other people have time off from their jobs, and there’s no reason why you shouldn’t have a day off sometimes, too.
  • It will score points with your kids. It’s rare to find a kid who doesn’t like pizza, and any day you order it will be a treat. Consider ordering in for your family game nights or the days you have family meetings. As an added bonus, pizza is an inherently social food, so it encourages family members to eat together and interact – allowing your family to bond.
  • It’s a great emergency back-up. Every so often, something happens that will interrupt your routine. Dinner gets burned, unexpected guests drop by, or you realize you’re missing a key ingredient. Ordering a pizza is much faster and easier than trying to squeeze in a trip to the store on already-hectic weeknights.
  • Sometimes it’s more affordable. If you’re feeding a big group for a party or other gathering, it can be cheaper to order a few pizzas than to buy and prepare special food for the occasion. It also gives you more time to spend with your guests.

As a mother, your time is valuable. You may not be paid for the work you do, but it’s absolutely a full-time job, and you deserve some time off to relax and recharge. If something simple like ordering a pizza or hiring a sitter for a few hours can give you a much-needed mental break from your busy schedule, then there’s no shame in taking a shortcut.

Renee Varney is a freelance blogger and occasionally writes for delivery.com a site she loves using to find local Delivery PizzaOrder Delivery Food.

Earnest Parenting: help for super moms.

Image courtesy of Howdy, I’m H. Michael Karshis via Creative Commons license, some rights reserved.