7 Quick Self-Care Ideas For Busy Moms
When you’re a mom, there’s seems to be no time left for yourself. Kids, chores, work—all seem to come first. So, we’ve put together quick self-care ideas for busy moms like you.
Why Self-Care Is Important for Moms
The truth is, while we want to take care of others, we need to take care of ourselves too. We need self-care to reduce stress and prevent burnout. We need it not only for our physical but emotional and mental health.
When we’re able to fulfill our needs, we can practice positive parenting and become better parents too. Self-care isn’t selfish.
Self-Care Ideas for Busy Moms
Schedule self-care
Do you have hobbies or habits that make you healthier and happier? Things that make you feel in the zone? Put them into your daily schedule.
Why? Because there’s a tendency for us moms to do other tasks during our free time. Instead of taking the time off, we clean or organize the house when our kids are taking their nap.
So, you really need to write those happy habits in your planner.
Whether it’s 10 minutes pampering yourself, journal writing, or reading a chapter of a good book, what matters is you allot some time for these happy habits. Some other activities you might find enjoyable are stepping outside for a bit, making a bubble bath, and enjoying bath time.
You can even have aromatherapy with essential oils or just listen to your favorite song.
Make these activities part of your daily self-care routine!
Chat with your friends
Friends are important for your health —and sanity. Moreover, research has shown that meaningful friendships help us live longer.
So, make sure to find time to catch up with your close friends. Taking time to enjoy being with friends is a must. When we feel supported by our friends, our blood pressure stabilizes, our immune system is strengthened, and our overall health is better.
Take a nap
Yes, go ahead and give yourself permission to take that much-deserved nap. Finding time to rest is critical for your physical and mental health. Interestingly, the benefits of napping vary depending on its length.
- 10 minutes
Even just a 10-minute nap can do wonders. In a 2016 study found in the journal Sleep, researchers concluded that a 10-minute nap during a night shift can improve cognitive and sensory-motor performance.
- 20 minutes
According to the National Sleep Foundation, just a 20-minute nap can make you more alert and put you in a better mood.
But NASA believes the ideal nap should be 26 minutes long. Well, every minute of sleep counts when you have kids, right?
Exercise
When it comes to working out, the American Heart Association recommends a minimum of 30 minutes of moderately intense cardio for healthy adults under 65 five times a week. Some examples of moderate physical activity include brisk walking, riding a bike on flat ground, or playing tag with your kids.
There are many self-care ideas for busy moms but be sure to keep this one high on your list!
Do yoga
Yoga has been known to give wonderful health benefits. Research has shown that it decreases cortisol, a hormone that becomes high when you’re stressed and anxious. High cortisol levels are associated with increased blood pressure, fatigue, and irritability, among others.
Also, practicing yoga consistently can reduce muscle tension and improve sleep.
Breathe
Concentrating on your breath can help anchor you to the present moment so that you’re able to let go of regrets from the past and worries of the future— even for just a few minutes.
When you feel overwhelmed, take deep breaths. Deep breathing is one of the easiest ways for you to relax. When we’re stressed, we often use fast and chest breathing.
In contrast, deep breathing is also called abdominal or diaphragmatic breathing. Slow deep breathing exercises have been shown by numerous studies to decrease the physiological effects of stress and improve our well-being.
4-7-8 Breathing Technique
If you’re having a hard time falling asleep, you could also try the 4-7-8 breathing technique or the “relaxing breath.” Dr. Andrew, a Harvard doctor, invented this breathing pattern on pranayama, a yoga technique for regulating your breath.
You can do this by first exhaling completely through the mouth with a whoosh sound. Then, close your mouth and inhale through the nose while mentally counting until 4. After that, hold your breath and count until 7. Lastly, exhale completely for 8 counts. This is one cycle.
Repeat these steps to complete 4 cycles. You’ll probably feel yourself yawning towards the end.
Meditate
One of the best ways to take care of yourself is to meditate. Meditation has so many wonderful benefits. Besides reducing stress and promoting mindfulness, it can enhance your self-awareness and boost your self-esteem.
When you feel like you’ve lost yourself in motherhood, perhaps meditation can help.
As you meditate, you focus on your breath and simply observe your thoughts—here and now. And when you consistently practice mindfulness, you become a kinder, happier, and more positive parent.
4-Week Online Meditation Series For Moms
According to Erin O’Connor, Everybody in Mind’s in-house meditation teacher, and founder of Happy Humans Mindfulness, meditation is an act of self-love. She says, “You can’t pour from an empty cup….moms need to fill their own cups before they can take care of family needs.”
Erin has been practicing mindfulness for five years now. She was first introduced to mindfulness in 2015 at a professional development workshop where she used to teach. She was particularly interested in the practice because she wanted to bring it into her classroom.
However, when she lost her husband in 2106 her mindfulness practice saved her from going down a very dark hole. Being able to focus on the here and now helped her remain positive, so she never lost her zeal for life.
Do you have any self-care ideas for busy moms we might have missed?