The Importance of Self-Care for Moms | #MotherhoodMonday

Self-care is so important. I’m serious. Everyone talks about it, but not all of us commit to it. I remember feeling SUPER isolated as a new mother. I was in a new town, a new state, I was an introvert, and I was taking care of a helpless newborn when I was on an emotion rollercoaster and hardly sleeping.

Sounds great, huh?

The newborn is rough for all sorts of reasons, but every stage of motherhood brings its own ups and downs. We as mothers need to always remember to take care of ourselves as well. It’s not selfish, it’s actually another way to care for your family. When you are taking care of yourself, you can more easily, and joyfully, take care of others.

There’s so much care in that paragraph!

Something that always threw me when it came to practicing self-care, other than Mom Guilt, was that I though it had to be something BIG. Like a night out or something. While that certainly can be your self-care activity, it doesn’t always have to be something large, or something that even requires childcare!

So without further ado, here is my not-so-comprehensive list of self-care ideas:

38 Ways to Increase Your Self-Care

1. Date Night
   • Time alone? Yes! Strengthening your marriage? Awesome!
2. Put on Your Makeup
   • Like, taking 30+ minutes and having fun with it!
3. Join a Mom’s Group – WITH childcare!
   • Adult time and fun time for your kids. Yes please.
4. Take a Shower
   • Like a REAL one. Lock the door, and just enjoy the warmth. Don’t rush, or feel guilty.
5. Read a Book
   • Buy a book, get one from the library, or check out on online so you can have it wherever you go!
6. Paint Your Nails
   • Yourself, at a salon, whatever works for you!
7. Write in a Journal
   • Sometimes writing things out is a surprisingly fulfilling activity!
8. Get Some Exercise
   • I know, I know, but it DOES boost your mood!
9. Go for a Walk
   • Sunshine, movement, and child entertainment if you need to take them as well!
10. Put Down Your Phone
    • They steal a lot of our time and attention.
11. Buy a Puzzle Book
    • Exercise your brain!
12. Color a Picture
    • Or just random shapes like I do.
13. Each Lunch
    • At lunch time. On your own plate. Don’t share.
14. Get Some Plants
    • Houseplants plants add to your home in multiple ways, and flowers mean you could have your own fresh flowers on your table!
15. Plant a Garden
    • Another great one to do WITH the kids.
16. Check in With Family and Friends
    • It can be hard with hectic schedules and kids that suddenly need you when you make a call, but it can also rejuvenate you.
17. Make some Hot Tea – and RELAX
    • Ahh, so relaxing.
18. Enforce Quiet Time
    • Set aside some time, each day, each week, whatever, where the kids need to be off doing their own thing in their room, or just another room. Time where no one is allowed to ask Mama questions.
19. Go Outside
    • It’s amazing what nature can do!
20. Get a Pedicure
    • Not my jam, but I know MANY women love it!
21. Eat Healthy
    • You are worth delicious quality food, not just your kids’ leftovers and whatever you can grab from the pantry. You are worth it.
22. Try Yoga
    • Relaxing and challenging. It’s a great duo.
23. Treat Yourself to Dessert
    • Don’t tell the kids. Or you can, but be ready to share!
24. Join a Book Club
    • Gather some friends to read the same book and post videos on Marco Polo about your thoughts each week. Simple and yet so fulfilling!
25. Join a Bible Study
    • Another kind of book club!
26. Find a Playdate Friend
    • Again, adult interaction and child energy expenditure.
27. Meet Your Neighbors
    • Grow your village.
28. Let Yourself Play
    • Ignore the dishes and play in the mud with your kids, or build a fort in the living room.
29. Have a Picnic
    • Leave the mess out of the kitchen and let your kids explore around you.
30. Watch a Movie
    • Like a fun one. Or one you really want to see.
31. Find a Hobby/Passion
    • Mine is photography and writing this blog. You’re could be knitting, crochet, woodworking, drawing, painting, gun-smithing, you name it!
32. Get a Maid
    • If you can, do it. Once a week, once a month, right before holidays. Who cares. Treat yourself.
33. Ask for Help
    • This is huge. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. I struggle with this. Do it anyway. If someone says no, then that’s fine!
34. Learn to Say No
    • You don’t have to do EVERYTHING. You know yourself and your family and what you can all handle.
35. Get Your Hair Done
    • New hairstyles/haircuts are uplifting for me.
36. Go to Church
    • Spiritually fed, you have to get dressed and out of the house, and your child(ren) get to go to Sunday School and be fed as well! So much winning.
37. Girls Night
    • Plan it, make it happen occasionally. Get crazy and have it after the kids go to bed!
38. Take a Vacation
    • Often a super tough one, but if you can, do it! It doesn’t have to be huge either. Try a stay-cation, or a small weekend trip without the kids. Refresh yourself so you can give the best of yourself.

And Done!

Whew! Well folks, there it is. My super technical list of self-care ideas. Some are super easy, some are harder, but I’m sure you can find at least a few that work for you. A lot of them are more about overcoming your own fear or guilt as a mother. That may be a mental battle, but it’s definitely a rough one. You can do it!