5 Ways to Care for Yourself as a Busy Mom
When you’re the mom in a busy household, many of the duties and responsibilities fall on you. Between your kids’ busy schedules, keeping up with cleaning, tackling your to-do list and anything else that may come into play, it can feel like there’s hardly any time left at the end of the day for you.
But as the saying goes, you can’t pour from an empty well. In order to be the best mom, wife, and version of yourself that you can be, you’ve got to put the time, care, and energy into keeping yourself going. And that means making time for yourself.
While it may sound uncomfortable and selfish to you at first, you’re truly doing your family and everyone around you a favor by showing yourself the same care and love you show them.
Not sure how to go about this? Here are 5 ways to care for your family by caring for yourself.
1. Schedule “Me” Days
When all of your time is dedicated to your family’s needs and schedules, there’s hardly any time left over at the end of the day to spend on you. In order to make up for this lost time, it’s important to schedule out “me” days where you get to spend your time however you want.
This could mean one day a month to spend time at the spa, or it could mean making an opportunity to do all those crafts you’ve been collecting on Pinterest. It could even just mean getting to lavish in an empty house all day doing nothing while the hubby takes the kids on a day trip.
There’s nothing selfish about a break. Having these days will give you unadulterated time for yourself, which will therefore make you fuller, happier, and more ready to give.
2. Find a Ritual
Finding small little rituals in your day can turn a hectic and monotonous routine into a constantly refreshing life.
For example, getting ready for bed can feel like a list of chores you have to complete before you get to sleep. Instead of looking at it like that, however, you can create a soothing ritual out of it by dimming the lights, Lighting a candle, and putting on soothing music while applying your skincare/brushing your teeth. This turns bedtime into something relaxing to look forward to and the end of each day.
3. Get Any Necessary Treatment
It’s important to make sure you’re taking care of yourself from the inside out., and this includes mental health.
It’s not uncommon for mothers to have feelings of depression or anxiety, and if you feel like something may be disrupting your inner life in a way you can’t manage, you should seek any necessary treatment.
Consider looking into starting a treatment of depression or anxiety that may help. No matter what mental health challenges you’re facing, they are all manageable with proper care. Talking to your doctor is the first step to feeling more wellbalanced as a provider.
4. Build a Support System
Going through life alone is no fun. Of course, you have your family, but there are some occasions when it’s best to have the company of other moms in your shoes who understand what things are like for you.
Building a support system of like-minded people that you can talk to is so important to a healthy, balanced lifestyle. Join a local group with similar interests, or finally make time to get aquainted with that nice mom down the street.
5. Create Mandatory Vacations
It can be stressful to take a vacation when it means leaving work, unfinished errands, and even the kids behind. However, these breaks are important and can help you reset and get refreshed before heading home.
Scheduling “mandatory” vacations with your spouse is a great way to ensure you’ll have a few getaways each year to spend time with each other and step away from the daily grind. Be sure to check out How to Be the Best Caregiver You Can Be before you go!
Sandra Preti says
I think #1 is SO important….ME time is necessary for everyone!
kate g says
Really good advice. I learned a long time ago for my sanity, no matter how tired I was, I had to have a couple of hours of alone quiet time. I gradually added pampering myself sometimes without guilt too, but i never thought of mandatory vacations…that’s a great idea.
Cynthia C says
I highly recommend an annual girlfriend vacation. A group of us goes to the beach and it does wonders for us.
Amy D says
I do think it’s important as a mom to take time for yourself. Going out for a run with friends is something that I enjoy doing to help me recharge. I’ve also started reading books that were not “board books” and listening to Podcast that weren’t Disney related.