16 Simple Self-care tips for Busy mums
Moms look after everyone before themselves. Remember your “me time” during the weekend before you had your first baby; getting your hair done on weekends, facials, your daily workout routine, having dinner before 8 p.m. …that baby girl life was just everything!
Tell me, when last did you change your cornrows or clean those cracked nail polish off your toes? Can you remember? You could easily get carried away with the unending task on your list- one minute you are cleaning and cooking, next thing, you are dropping the kids off at school and you are wondering, how did I spend my week? Okay I will do it next weekend, maybe Friday night, I’m sure Sunday will be free… and before the twinkle of an eye, it’s another month.
Self-care is as important as drinking enough water in a day. It helps to relieve stress, exhaustion, burnout and helps improve your mental health and self-esteem. In between those hours of taking care of your family and trying to juggle work, you could take out time to breathe, stretch, meditate, and love yourself again so you don’t find yourself booking an appointment with a therapist for a mental health check.
Being a mom shouldn’t be the end of looking beautiful. Trust me, that glow could come back in a couple of weeks and you would find yourself staring at the mirror and loving your skin again. Not sure how to start? Here are some simple tips:
Look good, Feel good
Start with tidying up your messy hair, take off that bonnet, shampoo your hair, trim or just get a new hairstyle. There is just this joy of resuming work on Monday when you have a new hairdo…the confidence is on high. Add a little bit of makeup or do those little things you used to do that made you feel happy and beautiful.
It’s okay to not be okay
To be honest, it is hard to keep up with these things. Trying to take care of the family, your job and still look good is a hard task…try not to lose your mind. Seek help, talk to someone, take a break and read mom books. Find time for your friends, have lunch dates and talk about the good old days.
Get a manicure or pedicure
A little pampering wouldn’t take the whole of your day. If you can’t make out time to get to the salon, you could check out several DIY techniques on YouTube or simply use press-on nails. Just dipping your toes in hot soapy water can soften your feet.
Take a long shower or bath
Moments alone in the shower can go a long way in helping you think and relax. A long hot bath after a long day can change your mood in amazing ways. The best way to enjoy your bath is to create the ambience of a spa or a five-star hotel. Light up scented candles, grab your best wine, make sure your body wash forms lots of bubbles and don’t forget to listen to your best relaxing song.
Shop for yourself (no kid clothes allowed)
If you don’t buy all those outfits you have saved now, it would either be out of stock or no longer in vogue; the right time is now! I mean…those outfits in your screenshots won’t buy themselves. You don’t need to break a bank mom, you are doing this for yourself. Spoil yourself without guilt!
Order your favourite meal
Yes! you deserve this thing called pampering. If your kids aren’t old enough to cook for you or your husband is not just the cooking type, guess what? In 30minutes, your food will be knocking on your door. You don’t need to stress it, most restaurants do deliveries these days. If you want to be petty, eat it alone lol!
Get Some Fresh Air and Take a Walk
Starring at the same walls could drive you nuts, not to mention when your kids are on holiday and you are trying to get them to behave. Go out, take a walk and explore what’s new in your neighborhood. If you are at work, try getting out of the building during lunch or eat at a nearby restaurant. Remember taking long steps could burn some calories.
Choose a healthy snack
Healthy foods make healthy moms. Try to always have a balanced diet and include fruits in your meals. You can make it fun by blending fruits to make smoothies or juice or even a fruit salad. You could get caught up with all the things you have to do during the day and end up eating late. Eating healthy has a whole lot of benefits and it can help reduce weight gain.
Sleep
Sleep can never be overrated; it is better than taking a pain reliever. Getting enough sleep in a day shouldn’t be taken for granted. If you always have to sleep late and wake up very early to prepare for your kids for school, make sure you get enough sleep during the weekend to make up for it. Try to put your kids in bed early enough and sleep immediately.
Get a beauty treatment
Amidst your hectic week, you shouldn’t forget to do essential things for yourself. Things like shaving, eyebrow removal, waxing, facials. There are loads of beauty tips online, find the one that works for you.
Listen to an energizing podcast
Anything that motivates could be of help. It could be work, could be cooking, or any new thing you’ve been planning to listen to. Stay connected to other moms, learn something new, or just entertain yourself with some interesting topics on your favourite podcast. This could be done at home while at your daily task.
Sing
Sing in the shower, in the car, while cleaning, sing your school rhymes or one of Beyonce’s tracks you can mime to…just anything that can make you scream and let out your emotions. Karaoke is also a fun activity that could lift up your mood.
Declutter something
Decluttering could be very emotional as you would always find old stuff and pictures that will bring back memories. You could do this with your kids and tell them stories of yourself. More so, decluttering helps with creating space, doing away with old items and rearranging your home.
Go on a Trip
Of course without the kids! If you could drop your kids off at your parent’s, take that trip. Travelling doesn’t have to be expensive or long. A three- day trip to a nearby city could go a long way.
Get a Massage
You are constantly in motion, running errands, driving between work, school activities and the market. You need something to relieve those backaches and stress. Pamper yourself with a therapeutic massage…it’s the least you could do for yourself, book an appointment today.
Work Out or do Yoga
A fifteen minutes’ exercise thrice a week is perfect. And if you think you need motivation, you could register in a gym or join an online class…just put that body in shape! If it’s been a while you exercised, watch videos online to motivate you. Whereas a quick yoga is also a nice way to stretch. As long as you aren’t spending hours on workouts, 3-4 days in a week wouldn’t affect your schedule.
Self-care shouldn’t be something you do once in six months. Make a habit of consciously making time to take care of yourself. You could be a stay-at-home mom or a working mom and still have free 20minutes in a day or weekend. A regular self-care routine helps you feel stronger, healthier and ready to embrace the reward and joys of Motherhood
