“Making time for yourself is a necessity, not a luxury.” Christie
Self-Care for Busy Moms
The Importance of Self-Care for Busy Moms
No one does more caretaking than a mother. She tends to her child's every need, solves every problem, and constantly puts her child's necessities above her own. With many mothers working both in and outside the home and societal pressure ever-present to achieve more, it can be totally exhausting and unsustainable to keep up with what might feel "expected" of you.
How are we supposed to be perfect at everything? Due to the demanding job of the modern mother, unfortunately, self-care can be the first thing to be cut from the to-do list when time is limited. In the worst case, it isn't even on her to-do-list anymore!
However, to be present, grounded, and the best you can be for yourself and your family, you simply must find time for self-care. It is not a luxury but a necessity. You can only give – without doing yourself short – if your own cup is filled. Below are four key ways to create self-care in your daily life.
Contemplate the benefits of self-care When we take time to think about how much self-care will help us, we are much more likely to follow through with it. The benefits of self-care include but are not limited to improved health and vitality (which is very important if you want to be there for your children long term), better stress management, the enhanced ability to handle problems that arise, greater family harmony, improved immunity, great role-modeling of self-care for your kids, increased stamina, calmer moods, and so much more! Take time to contemplate what self-care can do for you, and you'll find that you can fit it in more easily.
2) List self-care activities Make a list of the self-care activities that you love and that have the most impact on your well-being. With your list complete, you will be aware of your own needs. When you have a rare free moment or time to plan your week, choose to create more balance in your life. It will help you avoid spending those precious free moments on things that might not serve you, like watching TV or checking Facebook. Some of my favorite self-care activities are yoga, meditation class, a hot bath, walking in nature, dancing, guided relaxation, naps, singing, reading, and journaling.
3) Set attainable and realistic goals When it comes to self-care, a little is much more than none at all. We can quickly fall into the trap of thinking we need to run five miles, do a 90-minute yoga class or meditate for 60 minutes for these things to be valuable, but this simply may be unrealistic and may keep you discouraged rather than motivated. Start with attainable goals such as a 1-mile run, 20 minutes of yoga, or meditation for 5 or 10 minutes. You'll notice that even a small amount can have a profound impact on your day.
4) Appreciate your efforts Realistically, this time in your life is probably not going to be the time that you do the most self-care, and that is OK. It's more critical for you to make self-care a priority consciously and appreciate your effort in doing so. Try to enjoy what you can do rather than focusing on what you aren't doing. Your mind will then shift to the positive, and you will be more likely to continue with your self-care in the future. When you appreciate yourself you'll feel better and so will everyone around you!