We are busy women! Whether we work two jobs, are stay at home moms or just trying to balance one job with one child. We all are unique, our stories may be slightly different, but we are still busy!! We need to all remember to keep a self care routine for ourselves or I like to call this “finding your self care routine as a Busy Working Mom.”
I think this title can incorporate all of us! Let me see if you can relate to any of these points:
- always on the go
- time just flies by
- can’t remember the last time your nails were done
- mostly online shop because who has time to go to a store?
- you wish there were more hours in the day
- a to do list that never ends
I know you could add more to this list and I could keep going, but we get the point?
How do I Self Care as a Busy Mom?
The first step to self care is acknowledging it needs to happen. If you don’t make time for it then it will never happen.
And you deserve self care, everyone does. We have energy tanks and they need to be recharged. I love the meme online that shows a cell phone dying and it says “You would never let your phone go uncharged, why would you do that to yourself?”
This is a perfect example of knowing it needs to happen. You have to make time for yourself. Pencil it in and make sure it happens. So the next step is ensuring it happens.
Daily routine doesn’t count here. Yes, you will shower and eat on a daily basis.
I am referring to more than your basic necessities. I am looking for recharge, meditation and to spoil yourself from time to time.
I started two years ago getting up at an earlier time to enjoy a cup of coffee and reflect in the morning before I started my day. Not getting ready, no hustle and bustle, just the calm of the morning with myself.
Please see my adjoining post for more information about my morning routine.
After acknowledging that we all need to self care, you have it penciled in, but now what?
MAKE IT HAPPEN!
Take that time for yourself and don’t look back. Do not feel guilty. Do not feel the need to substitute the time for cleaning or motherly duties. Take the time for yourself.
Why should I indulge in Self Care?
First and foremost, if you don’t do it for yourself than no one else will do it for you. It is your treat and you deserve it.
I feel the effects of when I self care and when I don’t.
When I do take the time for myself, the small things don’t eat at me as much. I don’t have such a quick fuse. I have more patience for my child and others around me.
I am also willing to do more for others, knowing that I have taken care of myself first. I always have a hard time saying no, but with self care built in, saying yes is easier.
I feel less overwhelmed (even though so much still needs to be done). It is called a balance and when you have it then everything else feels less demanding.
I have a more positive attitude and outlook on life. Self Care in the form of meditation or morning self reflection gives me a chance to slow down and analyze life. I have less tendency to run through the day without knowing why I am doing it.
Without Self Care?
I don’t feel the same. I don’t like to ponder on the negativity, but I remember being overwhelmed.
I would go through the cycle of life without knowing why. I went months without reaching out to friends, just forgetting the last time we spoke.
My health took effect. It showed on my skin, but internally I wasn’t right. Things were not functioning as they should because I was taking the time for them to do so. Part of self care, is slowing down a little to do so.
Our lives can be fast paced no matter where you are at in life, but self care is recognizing and making time for your self.
You need to find the most effective self care routine as a busy working mom for yourself. Your plan won’t look the same as another person’s. What works for some may not for others. I like my quiet time in the morning, but someone else may take their extra time in the evenings or designate a day of the week.
Different Forms of Self Care
As I stated before, I take my quiet time in the mornings, but self care goes beyond that. I have a few more ways to self care, that you may look and say “I can’t remember when I did that last.”
- take a long walk
- plan a vacation
- ladies night out
- pedicure or a massage
- self pamper at home with a bubble bath or facial
- wine dine with a good movie
- indulge in a marathon of your favorite show
- float in a pool or body of water
- a dinner date
- an evening under the stars
- make a unique meal such as homemade pasta
- meet up with old friends
- have a conversation over the phone to reconnect (texting doesn’t count)
- buy a new outfit
- get a project completed that has been pushed aside
Did any of these give you some good ideas? I hope you wrote these down in your planner and penciled them in for yourself. I know there are plenty more ways to self care or take time for yourself. These are only a few, but a good way to give you suggestions and ideas.
And we may be busy as moms, but don’t forget your husbands! They need time to recharge and renew themselves as well.
And if you aren’t married, look out for your friends and families, make sure they make time for themselves as well. But remember you have to find the self care routine that works for you! Not someone else.
I hope these suggestions help you in your self care journey. As moms, even as dads, we need to make sure to take for ourselves. Our children are very important, but so are we!
Don’t forget to take care and stay safe!
