How Can I Make Time For Self-Care As A Working Mom?
As a working mom, you constantly run from one chore to another to get things done. Having many responsibilities, including work, kids, and household duties, makes you neglect your needs.
Even though prioritizing all of these seems like the right thing to do, not taking enough self-care can affect your overall health. So to save yourself from this, you might want to ask how you can make time for self-care as a busy mom.
If you are a working mom, you can still manage self-care by benefiting from early morning time. Or take regular breaks, try micro self-care techniques, ask for help, and talk it out if needed. In addition, you can also try brief exercises, take enough sleep, plus look after your health as well.
When you take care of yourself, you are not only fulfilling your own need. But, you also equip yourself to take better care of your family. Wonder where and how to begin? Below are a few simple self-care steps you can follow if you are a busy mom.
Benefit From Early Morning Hours:
We know how difficult it can be to manage self-care with work and mom duties. The biggest hurdle you may encounter is, having so little time at hand that you can barely think of yourself.
What you can do instead- is utilize the early morning hours when there is no piled-up-work waiting for you. Make this your me-time and
Go for a jog
Read your favorite book
Practice meditation
Water the plants
Or, try some self-care apps
Take A Break; You Need It!
For moms neglecting themselves and prioritizing the needs of children is nothing new. They feel guilty when they take some time out for themselves or relax and chill, doing nothing. But, remember taking a break and focusing on yourself doesn’t mean you are ignoring your mom’s duties.
A few minutes of relaxation from a hectic routine is essential for every mom.
Parenting is a 24/7 job, and these regular small breaks are super important for you and your family. This way, you will feel more energized and willing to perform all the daily chores rather than just dragging them deadly throughout the day.
A daily ten-minute break is more than enough! Use it for a walk, a relaxing bath, or simply reading a few pages of your favorite book.
Appreciate Your Strengths:
Our lives are abundant with things we are proud of and those we are not proud of. It's just a normal part of being humans. However, working moms seem to focus on the "mistakes' they commit and over-criticize themselves all the time.
We understand! The upbringing of children is a huge responsibility on your shoulders.
But, when you only highlight your weaknesses, it won’t serve you or your family. Shifting your focus towards your strengths and achievements will create a more positive home environment.
What you can do is, before going to sleep, recall all the things you accomplished that day. You will then see how all the positive stuff will come pouring into your mind once you give it a go.
Ask For Help If Needed:
Most working moms exhaust themselves with multitasking and try to be superheroes. Well, they already are, by the way!
However, as humans, we have certain limitations, and we cannot go beyond them. And, there is no need to over-tire yourself by perfecting everything you do. It doesn't make you a bad parent, but it shows that you too require love and care at the end of the day.
The ultimate solution is to ask for help when you feel the need. Reaching out for support doesn't indicate that you are weak or cannot manage your duties. It only means you want to remain strong and not burn yourself out with an excessive workload.
Talk Your Heart Out:
As a mom, you might have experienced the 'negative emotions that make you feel miserable. When you try to suppress them, it can worsen your emotional and physical well-being.
So, whenever you have low moments or feel pangs of anxiety and stress, never ignore them. Connect with a loved one or a trustworthy person with whom you can share your distressing thoughts and emotions. You lift a massive weight off your heart and mind by letting all the lava out.
As an outcome, you instantly feel elevated, happier, and more satisfied. It's a powerful form of self-care.
Give Micro Self-Care Techniques A Try:
Let's be practical! Working moms can't manage long hours of self-care. You can hardly take time out for yourself when you have so many errands to run. Instead, you can try micro self-care techniques, adjusting to your busy routine. These can include
Five-minute journaling before going to sleep
Listening to your favorite music or podcasts
Cook and enjoy the dish you crave
Taking deep breaths for five minutes
Watching your favorite series or movie
Taking some fresh air
Adjust Exercise Into Your Day:
As a busy mom, following your regular workout routine seem next to impossible. Obviously, with so many things to do, you don't have so much time to exercise for hours. But, being physically active is equally important, and we cannot eliminate it from our lives.
A great way to handle this problem is to choose outdoor activities that you engage in with your kids. By doing so, you encourage them to remain physically active as well. For example,
you can go cycling or swim with your little ones
enroll in a dance lesson or Tai Chi is fun too
Or, you can also try doing simple exercises such as jumping jacks, crunches, and squat jumps. A small set of either will help you remain fit and boost your energy.
Just be consistent with whatever you do!
Don’t Neglect Your Sleep:
It's not a hidden fact that working moms often are deprived of quality sleep. Getting enough rest is a crucial part of a self-care routine. It gives you several benefits, including reduced stress levels, better cardiovascular health, a more robust immune system, and boosted memory.
On the other hand, not taking adequate sleep can mess with your cognitive function. Also, make you prone to serious health issues such as heart diseases and diabetes. Thus, it's super necessary not to neglect your sleep even when you feel like you have a lot of things to do.
Work can wait! So utilize the free time you get while kids are asleep and take some rest.
Look After Your Health:
When it's about children, we are highly attentive to their health and well-being. And we should be! But amidst all these duties and back-hurting routines, your health is often the last thing you care about.
Know that your health and well-being are equally important just as other family members. Thus, take time out to consult a doctor if you feel any symptoms of illness. Similarly, go for a full-body checkup, schedule an appointment with the dentist, or other issues that need attention.
Moreover, incorporate healthy meals into your routine. Try to eat fruits and vegetables that can provide you with all the essential nutrients. Keep yourself hydrated and cut off excessive caffeine intake. You can perform all your duties more efficiently when you are physically well.