7 Self-Care Ideas for Busy Moms

Me Time, What Me Time?

“Don’t forget to take care of yourself!” You’ve probably heard this a hundred times when discussing parenthood with others. So much easier said than done, right? Parenting is not a simple task and it is incredibly easy to lose your sense of self through the demanding years of raising children. As busy moms our needs are often pushed down to the very bottom of the to-do list, making them rarely met at the end of a busy day. We all know that our well-being is important, but how do you find the time for self-care? You need to schedule it in to your day and make a conscious effort to incorporate it into your daily routine. It doesn’t have to involve a huge amount of time. Ten minutes here and there will add up. Here are my 7 favorite quick self-care ideas for busy moms.
7 Self-Care Ideas for busy moms

1. Get out of the house by yourself. Go anywhere. Just go!

Sometimes you just need to remove yourself from the demands of home and the children. Go for a walk, try a new hobby, check out the mall, wander around Target. Have you ever been there without kids? It’s magical! Grab a coffee, get ice cream, choose whatever it is you like to eat and enjoy it in peace!

2. Connect with a friend or family member

It is so therapeutic to bounce ideas of others, vent, celebrate successes and be a support for people struggling with the same issues as you. Take time to connect with a friend or relative, join a moms club or an online support group. There are a ton of mom Facebook support groups for every topic now. If you are parenting a highly sensitive child, I encourage you to join our FB community of parents raising HSCs here.

3. Exercise

I know, I know. I can see the eye roll now. Believe me, I have done the same on numerous occasions. I completely understand how hard it is to get motivated to exercise, but you can’t deny how great you feel afterwards. Exercise has been proven to reduce stress, boost self-esteem, decrease feelings of anxiety and depression, as well as help you sleep better. Exercise doesn’t have to take place at a gym. Put your kids in a wagon or stroller and take a walk, ride bikes, sign up for a mom’s fitness class. Find a type of exercise you love and get moving.

4. Schedule a date day or night with your spouse

In the throes of parenting, our partners often get taken for granted and it is likely for parents to forget that a relationship needs work. Sure you might end up talking about the kids most of the time, but scheduling that one on one time is so important for connecting with each other. It doesn’t have to be fancy. You don’t even have to leave the house. Have a late dinner together after the kids are in bed. Set aside one night each week to watch your favorite show or a movie together.

5. Cultivate an attitude of gratitude

It is so easy to get caught up in the negative, but there is so much that each of us has to be thankful for. Focus on being mindful and appreciating the good things in your day ….. the sun shining, a warm house, a snuggle with your child. Try setting aside ten minutes each day to write in a gratitude journal or download a meditation app to help build an attitude of gratitude into your daily routine.

6. Have a bedtime routine for yourself

As parents, we often focus on routines for our children, but they can help us out too. Start a self-care bedtime routine that you can look forward to after the kids are in bed. Take a bath or hot shower, listen to your favorite music, meditate, pray, read, journal or anything else that gives you joy. Pick something that is relaxing to you and make it part of your daily routine, so you are getting some much needed self-care each day. As a bonus, some self-care time can help calm your mind before bed, so that you can fall asleep easier and get more zzz’s. What parent doesn’t want more sleep?!?

7. Say no

It is okay to say no and it is essential to your well-being not to overextend yourself. I have to admit, I have gotten really good at saying no to things in the past few years. As a stay-at-home mom, it is often assumed that I have endless free time to dedicate to committees, school activities and leadership roles in organizations myself or my sons are a part of. While I enjoy being involved or helping where I can, I can’t do it all and that’s okay. I think it is even more challenging for working moms to juggle work and take on outside responsibilities. Focus on what is important to you and don’t be afraid to say no to nonessential responsibilities.

Get Rid of the Guilt!

Okay, so you have decided to schedule self-care into your daily routine, but here comes the hard part….. Getting over the guilt! You have to get over feeling guilty for taking time for yourself. I admit that this is often challenging for me, but I try to remind myself that I need to take care of me in order to take care of my family. Plus you can’t deny that you feel great and more focused afterwards. Ironically, the more you build in caring for yourself as part of your routine, the less guilty you will feel about it.

Just do it!

You know why self-care is important and why it needs to be scheduled into your daily routine. You now also have 7 quick self-care tips for busy moms that you can implement starting today. How will you choose to treat yourself?

I know you don’t feel like you have the time. I know it is hard to schedule the time. It is true you could be doing a million other things on your to-do list instead, but I urge you to carve out at least 30 minutes for yourself and see how it feels. I am pretty sure you won’t regret it. Be mindful of your mood. Are you feeling happy, guilty, stressed? It may feel odd or selfish doing something for yourself at first, but self care is not selfish. So go ahead and get that manicure and admire it as you hold your child’s hand through the ups and downs of life.

Share your Results

I encourage you to try one or more of these tips to recharge yourself when you are feeling overwhelmed. You could even create your own list.

What are your favorite self-care tips? I’d love to hear your ideas. Please add them in the comments below and share this post with all the moms in your life.