Motherhood can truly be described as a selfless vocation. With endless ‘things to do’ lists, mothers get very busy with chores and seeing to the total wellbeing of all members of the family. In doing so, mother’s tend to spend much less time and effort taking care of themselves.
Daily activities can eventually take its toll and as stress levels rise, if care is not taken, everything you do (including your relationships) can easily become negatively affected. Self-care is one of the best gifts you can give yourself. Think of it as a deliberate and self-initiated activity, to take care of your physical, psychological, and spiritual wellbeing.
So if you are new to this concept, here are some simple self-care tips you can start practicing right now.
6 Practical Self-Care Ideas for Moms
Create a realistic and flexible routine
Plan your day wisely and include a family routine in your daily plans. Make sure to involve activities that are fun and engaging. Learn to delegate chores to your partner and kids appropriately so you do not put much pressure on yourself. Planning your daily routine effectively eliminates mood swings and stress. Balance your routine and schedule with leisure activities to ease stress. Consider starting a journal and making time to write down your thoughts in between your schedule. Other ways to break up your routine include going for a leisurely walk and making time to connect with old friends and new people. You could also start a new hobby that can provide you with mental stimulation, and learn to manage your time effectively.
Enjoy some ‘me-time’
Indeed, self-care improves your relationship with your family. It’s true that everyone is happy when mum is happy. Therefore, remembering to take some time out for yourself will not only bring more joy in your life but also into the lives of your family.
Create time for yourself exclusively, which means no kids or partner to interrupt your me-time. If possible, let your partner cater to the kids and take some good time out to unwind. If you want to stay indoors, you can cook your favorite meals or learn a new recipe from your favorite cookbook. Otherwise you just simply sit back and relax while you listen to your preferred music playlist. If your mood is upbeat, you can rehearse your favorite dance moves. Other indoor ideas include taking a long soak in the bath or watching a movie while sipping on some good wine.
If you are keen to get away from the house, maybe you could visit the hairdressers and get a new hairdo to switch up your style. While at the hairdressers, why not refresh your nails with a good manicure and pedicure, or maybe do a facial or any other treatment that interests you. If you’re looking for a bit of an outdoor adventure, you could take a hike to a local nature spot or visit an unusual museum or art exhibition. You can also schedule time out in your diary for specific events such as music festivals or get tickets to watch your favorite band perform – the choices are endless.
Take care of yourself physically and mentally
Self-care comes with not only physical but also psychological benefits. On the physical side of things, taking time out to do regular exercise keeps you in good shape and keeps you energized to carry out daily tasks and family activities effectively. Consider booking some training sessions at your local gym or get workout equipment for use at home. Workout videos on YouTube can also be of great help or you can very simply choose to walk the dog more regularly at scheduled times. Thankfully, exercise is one sure way to boost your self-esteem and confidence.
As mentioned, self care promotes mental and emotional stability. By carving out a designated period of time, to give ‘you’ your full attention, you are actively acknowledging your self-worth and value. This alone does wonders for your mental health. Therefore, by making this a regular habit, you become less stressed and more able to see things in new perspectives. This can give birth to brand new ideas, passions and pursuits. Feelings of resentment and bitterness can be handled better by taking a break from your routine because you are able to press your internal reset button and return to feeling like yourself once again.
Read a good book
Reading has a soothing, almost meditative effect on the body and mind, so it’s definitely a go-to practice for self-care. Today, most people prefer to spend a lot more time in front of computer screens and cell phone screens rather than reading books. Indeed, there are still many good reasons for spending extended periods of time reading. For example, it helps to broaden one’s horizons, to escape the world for a while and also to simply make yourself happy. Additionally, reading books increases intelligence and empathy, can delay the development of dementia and even make us more resilient to mental illness. Interestingly, studies have found evidence that reading can even extend life, so why not do what you can to get back into that reading habit. In doing so, try to resolve any obstacles that can prevent you from enjoying a good read such as noise and distractions or even sight issues. For example, if you use prescription reading glasses and you need replacement lenses, you can buy some online here.
Eat well
We always hear dieticians and health experts say ‘you are what you eat’. Eating well means you value your health and you also care about your family. Do what you can to maintain a balanced diet and have fun with it by trying out new recipes online. Additionally, it is always advisable to drink a lot of water and increase your intake of fruits and vegetables. You can equally ditch the kitchen and homemade meals and eat out or treat yourself with an exotic delicacy at your favorite restaurant.
Treat yourself
The excitement of receiving a gift is equally felt when you give yourself a gift. Create a reasonable, affordable budget and do some shopping for yourself if you desire. Do not allow yourself to go overboard when shopping so as not to feel guilty after enjoying your shopping time. While you’re at it, consider making small new changes to your style. For example, you can go for bold prints and brighter colors or something you wouldn’t normally choose. Consider going in a new direction with your clothes, shoes, bags, jewelry, makeup, and accessories. There is absolutely nothing wrong with rejuvenating your looks.
If your time and money permits, booking a trip for one can be very good for your self-care. Regardless of the destination, what matters is that you finally value yourself enough to reward yourself with such activities. While you are away, maybe take the opportunity to get closer to nature, enjoy the scenery, ride a bike, take long walks, visit the spa or indulge in any other activity that will make your stay exciting and memorable.
Taking care of yourself is rewarding in more ways than one. Best of all, it affords you a much more positive outlook on life. Self-care practices like the ones mentioned above, improve your self-worth and confidence.
As moms, you always want to take care of everybody else and you forget yourself. It is paramount to take very good care of yourself, so you can take even better care of your family, business, relationships and any other commitment that is close to your heart. To do this, you must set realistic goals as a mom to minimize stress, anxiety and pressure. You can still practice self-care and be the superwoman that you are.