We all know that self-care is important for our physical and mental health and that moms should be doing a lot more of it. Sometimes, it’s difficult to take that time for ourselves.
While most self-care activities are geared towards moms, learning to care for yourself is important for everyone. To assist you in your self-care efforts, invite the whole family to enjoy these activities together. This investment of time and energy will pay off in spades as you are not only starting your own self-care practice but encouraging your loved ones to participate as well.
Anybody who says that being a full-time mom isn’t stressful is just kidding themselves. Motherhood, be it the stay-at-home or working variety, is one of the roughest and toughest occupations out there.
The demands of being a mom are also aggravated by the unbelievable stress and anxiety that comes with the responsibility. After all, no one wants to be a bad mom and you want to make sure that everything you do is helping to make your child a better person.
But just when you think you want to snap if you have to listen to “Baby Shark” one more time, take a deep breath and realize there are a few ways to relieve the stress and anxiety:
Stay Organized — This stress relief technique is pro-active. You’re less likely to get stressed out if you stay organized and on top of things. By keeping a schedule, you don’t have to worry about rushing from one location to another. You know exactly what is expected of you and you can plan accordingly. This also means that you need to set limits on yourself and your children. You know there are only 24 hours in a day so you shouldn’t try to over-schedule your time.
Meditate — This is a tried and true technique, and it really works. Spend about 10 to 15 minutes each day in quiet meditation. Just let yourself sit in a comfortable position and relax. This can be when you put the baby down for a nap or when the kids are already in bed and you have a few moments before you pass out for the night in exhaustion. Just let the problems of the world flow out of you and relax.
Exercise — No, we aren’t crazy when we say this. Exercise releases endorphins in your body that can help you maintain a relaxed and happy demeanor. We aren’t saying you need to do a full cardio workout for an hour every single day. (Although there’s nothing wrong with that if you can work it in.) Just take 15 minutes during a lunch break at work to walk around the block. This will be hard at first, but with time it will help you feel better and more relaxed.
Bubble Bath — Sometimes the old favorites are there for a reason. Once a week or so, take a half-hour and set it aside for yourself. Turn on some soft music, light a few aromatherapy candles, and relax in a warm bath. Throw in some bubbles or bath salts to help you relax even more. If it helps, throw in a rubber duck. Just spend that time with the door shut and locked and be at peace.
It’s hard for moms to set aside time for themselves in their busy schedule. But if you plan and organize your schedule and learn how to set limits then you will find that you can build more time into your daily life to relax and not feel overwhelmed.
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Whether you’re buying, selling, refinancing, or building your dream home, I’m here to help you explore the many financing options available. Ensuring that you make the right choice for you and your family is my ultimate goal. I am committed to providing my customers with mortgage services that exceed their expectations. Find out more by visiting my website.
If you’re a mom, then you know just how selfless the job can be. Time can seem like a commodity just as important as money or credit.
But most moms also know that they have a tendency to spend their time on others—balancing family, career, volunteering, and the dozen other myriad activities that make up our day.
What usually gets lost by the wayside is time for yourself. And this can be very dangerous. If you don’t take time to care for yourself, then you’re at risk of running yourself so ragged you can’t take part in the activities you are needed for.
That’s why you need to implement these self-care routines to improve your overall health and well-being:
First, let’s talk about self-care for the body. You must stay active if you are going to keep yourself going. Unfortunately, active doesn’t mean bouncing out of the minivan to pick up a Starbucks coffee in between work and dropping off the kids at sports practice. Spend some time each week to just do some kind of physical activity. After you drop off the kids at practice, take a walk around the field or the block. Spend an hour each week practicing yoga. Or you can just spend time at home, outside, doing something physical and a little Zen like working in the yard or tending to a garden.
Next, you also need to keep your mind engaged. Studies have shown that incorporating good habits to keep yourself mentally aware can stave off diseases later in life like dementia. So for now, spend a few minutes each night before bed reading something for yourself or quietly meditating. You can also start keeping a journal to document your ideas and feelings. If you are artistic, drawing or painting classes might help out. (If you aren’t artistic, but wish you were, pick up an adult coloring book that are at every bookstore.) Take some time to work on a jigsaw puzzle or play a board game. (This one’s easy to do because you can get the kids involved.)
Finally, do something nice for yourself regularly that can help you on a personal or spiritual level. Take a class where you can meet new people and experience new things. Have a girl’s night out once a month to just unwind and relax and socialize. Or you can even just set aside an hour each week for a nice long relaxing bubble bath. All of these can help you cleanse the spirit and rejuvenate you for the rest of the week.
Moms have a rough job, but a rewarding one. But you aren’t good to anyone if you let yourself get worn down by doing too much. Take care of yourself as well as your family and you will be better as a mom in the long run.
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Whether you’re buying, selling, refinancing, or building your dream home, I’m here to help you explore the many financing options available. Ensuring that you make the right choice for you and your family is my ultimate goal. I am committed to providing my customers with mortgage services that exceed their expectations. Find out more by visiting my website.
Being a mom often means putting everyone else’s comfort and happiness ahead of your own. We’re always taking care of others even when we’re sick, missing out on opportunities because we can’t work it into the family calendar. In general, we run ourselves down when we don’t make time to stop and take a breather.
For February, I’d like to challenge all the moms out there to spend some time committing acts of self-care.
It doesn’t have to be anything elaborate or grand. But here are some ways that you can do a little something for yourself and make February all about self-care.
Get out of the house—At least once this month, you should find a sitter (or enlist your significant other to help out) and go out and do something that you like to do. Hang out with your best friends at the coffee shop and get caught up, with the condition that there is to be no “kid talk.” (You don’t want to just spend the time rehashing doctor’s appointments and report cards.)
If that isn’t your thing, just find a quiet corner of a park or library to curl up with a good book. But make sure that you go somewhere that you can be alone and uninterrupted by a hundred other demands.
Change something—You will be amazed at how a new outfit or a different hairdo can make you feel like a new woman. Take part in some retail therapy and treat yourself to some new clothes or head down to the salon and get your trusted stylist to recommend something new. While you’re there, treat yourself to a full range of relaxation with a mani/pedi and a massage, if possible.
Unleash your artistic side—Head out to your local art studio and get creative. Many of these now feature “Mom’s Night Out” type events and many of them also feature wine while you paint. (Score!) Just let yourself spend a few hours doing something relaxing without having your children yell “Mom” to bring you out of your peaceful state of mind.
The New Year has barely begun and many of us are already feeling like we need a recharge. Spend some time this month doing just that with some special moments of self-care. If you get into the habit of spending some time on yourself, then hopefully you can continue this trend throughout the year and save yourself from a serious case of burnout later on.
