Self-Care Ideas for Busy Mothers
Let’s be honest: being a mom is hard work. You’re doing the best you can, but it’s not often enough that someone reminds you to take care of yourself. Taking care of yourself is just as important as taking care of your kids — and if you don’t do it, who will?
As a mother of three 11,9 and 8. I know how important it is to have a break and many of them. Here are list of self care ideas for busy moms like myself. They are not outlandish things that you have to plan and set money aside for. But true self care tips, that can help eliviate stressors and relax your mind and body.
Take a break.
You can take a break from your kids in many ways, including:
- Taking a walk or another type of exercise. You can go for a walk around the neighborhood and explore, or walk on the treadmill at home while watching TV.
- Reading a book or magazine. Try reading something you’ve been wanting to read but haven’t had time yet (a novel by one of your favorite authors, perhaps?). Or flip through an issue of People magazine–it’s fun! Just don’t let yourself get sucked down into reading about celebrities’ lives for hours on end; try to put it down after 10 minutes at most.
I like to designate a small portion of my time to myself. Depending on my work schedule and my family’s schedule that day, I take a couple hours to myself. This can be just tv show, the latest Lifetime movie you have been waiting to watch, ordering your favorite food and eating in private without your kids wanting a bite of your food too. Lol.
How do you know when you need time alone?
- If you taking on more than you should be. For example, if you are a single parent or your work load is a bit overwhelming.
- You are getting more frustrated (short patienced) than usual
- You know like the old saying goes “When it rains it pours”
- If you are feeling stuck several times throughout the day
- It may sound ironic but if you do not have alot of help (no support system) this is even more important to have time to yourself. You can still have self care and a break to yourself,with no support system. Try to watch a movie hen the kids are sleep. But still keep a watchful eye over them.
Practice self-compassion.
Self-compassion is the act of being kind to yourself. Give yourself grace. When you’re feeling overwhelmed and stressed out, it can be easy to beat yourself up or tell yourself that you’re not good enough. But when we’re in a low mood, our brains are more prone to negative thoughts than positive ones. We need to counteract those thoughts by reminding ourselves that everyone has bad days–and there’s nothing wrong with that!
Self-compassion also means accepting your feelings without judgement; instead of telling yourself “I shouldn’t feel this way,” allow yourself the space and time for whatever emotions come up for you during hard times. If something happens at work or home (or both), take some time out for self-care so that when things get stressful again later on down the road there won’t be so much build-up behind it all! Finally: don’t be afraid asking others around us if they could lend an ear during these tough times either–they may even have some advice on how best handle things going forward!
Don’t be afraid to ask for help when you need it.
You are not alone. As a mom, I know that it can feel like no one understands what you’re going through. But the reality is that there are millions of moms out there who know exactly what you’re experiencing and have been through similar situations themselves.
Ask for help when you need it. There will always be someone willing to lend a hand or give advice when things get tough–whether it’s your partner, friends and family members (including extended family), or even professionals like therapists and doctors who have dedicated their lives to helping others overcome challenges such as yours. Don’t be afraid to reach out! You don’t need to go through this alone; there are plenty of people who want nothing more than for you to succeed with your self-care efforts so that everyone can benefit from them in the long run!
Create daily rituals that make you feel good, even if they seem crazy or small.
The first step to getting a handle on your busy life is to create daily rituals that make you feel good, even if they seem crazy or small. These rituals can help you stay calm, centered and focused throughout the day–and they’re easy to do! For example:
Create a morning routine that includes things like meditation, reading or listening to music (my personal favorite).
I also like to jam to my personalized playlist. I have one for if I need to have tunnel vision and focus. A playlist that makes me feel young again. (Alexa..Play my 90s R&B /Pop Playlist)
It gives me time for myself and helps me feel centered before diving into family activities later in the evening.
* Take time each night before bed for quiet reflection; this helps me get ready for sleep by clearing out any extra thoughts from my mind.
* Have tea every afternoon around 6 pm out of habit; it’s something fun for me since I’ve always enjoyed drinking tea!
Be mindful of your body and its signals.
- Be mindful of your body and its signals.
- Don’t ignore the signs that tell you that you need to take a break, or get more sleep or food. If you’re feeling sick, take care of yourself by resting or seeing a doctor as soon as possible–and don’t forget to ask for help from others if needed! Likewise, if fatigue is making it hard for you to function normally (or even at all), treat yourself by taking a nap during the day so that when night comes around again and everyone else has gone to bed–you’ll be ready!
Learn to say no when it matters.
It’s okay to say no. Really! You don’t have to agree with everyone, or do everything they ask of you. You need to be responsible for yourself and your own happiness. If you don’t say no, then eventually your life will run away from you in a flurry of activity and stress that leaves little room for anything else–including the people who matter most in your life: family members, friends, significant others…and even yourself!
So how do we learn how not only accept but embrace saying no? It starts by learning how important self-care is; this includes doing things like taking time each day just for yourself (even if it’s just five minutes), exercising regularly so that stress doesn’t take over every part of your body and mind, eating right foods instead of junk food whenever possible…and making sure there are plenty of activities on hand so that even during stressful times they can still enjoy themselves while also taking care of their bodies at home rather than relying solely on others’ help outside theirs’.
Make time for yourself, even if it’s just a few minutes at the end of the day or first thing in the morning.
When you’re busy taking care of everyone else, it can be hard to remember that you need to take care of yourself. I know how exhausting it is when I’m running around like a crazy person trying to get everything done and make sure everyone has what they need–and then I look down at my watch and realize that I haven’t eaten anything since lunchtime!
I try not to feel guilty about spending time on myself; it’s important for me in order to keep my energy up and stay positive through the day. But even if you do feel guilty about making yourself a priority, don’t worry! There are lots of ways that won’t cost much or take up too much time:
- A short walk around your neighborhood before dinner (or even just 15 minutes) can help clear your mind and relax your body after an intense day with kids or coworkers
- Try meditating while practicing deep breathing techniques–it’ll calm both body and mind while helping reduce stress levels throughout the day
Try something new every now and then, even if it scares you or seems awkward at first.
Try something new every week.
Try something new every day.
Try something new every month.
Try something new every year.
And then, when you’re ready (and if you still want to), try something new for the rest of your life!
It’s important to take care of yourself as a mom!
You are doing an amazing job. You are not a super hero, but you’re human and need to take care of yourself. Taking time to recharge is essential for your health and well-being as a mom!
- Give yourself permission to do something just because it feels good.
- Have some quiet time alone, even if it’s only five minutes here and there during the day (or night).
- Get outside in nature whenever possible – even if it’s just sitting on your porch or walking around the block with your kids in tow!
Conclusion
We hope these tips will help you take care of yourself as a mom. Remember that it’s important to take time for yourself, even if it feels like there isn’t enough to go around. You deserve self-care just as much as anyone else does!
If you feel that you need more of help beyond your self care tips please:
- Call 911 if you are feeling suicidal or having feelings of hurting others
- Talk to your doctor about changing your medication (please be aware that some anti depressants have been known to increase suicidal thoughts and depression.Talk to your health care provider about your options and what works best for you.
- Go to your local health department as they will have a directory to therapists, physciatrists and more that can help you at little to no cost if you have state insurance. Call them to check out your options.
