5 Essential Self-Care Tips for Busy Moms

Self-care isn't selfish at all. It's essential. If we want to be the best for others, we have to be the best for ourselves. September is National Self-Care Awareness Month. This month we will work on being good to ourselves. Below are five ways you can take care of yourself every day.

1. Make a Plan- As busy moms, it's so easy for the day to pass by and not accomplish any of our personal goals because of house chores, after-school activities, etc. Each morning or evening before you go to bed, write one or two personal goals you would like to achieve in your to-do list. Whether it's working out, making a dermatologist appointment, etc. The point is if you write it down and revisit your list during the day, chances are you are going to do it.

2. Get Active- Move your body, Mamas. Countless studies show that getting at least 30 minutes of exercise a day is good for the body and good for the mind. Choose an activity you enjoy. There's no need to be miserable while working out.

3. Be Positive- Wasting too much time on negative energy can bring us down, drain us. Instead of focusing on what's wrong, acknowledge it, try to come up with a solution, and move on as quickly as possible. Shift your focus on gratitude. This will surely lift your spirits. As moms, we truly have a lot to be grateful for.

4. Eat Healthy as much as possible: It's okay to indulge every now and again on savory meals and sweets, but for the most part, what we put into our body is going to drive how we feel. "Instead of viewing food as a reward, reframe it as fuel for your body." (Tony Robbins) To feel our best, we've got to put the best foods in our bodies, which means more fruits and veggies and less Goldfish and French Fries.

5. Have Fun! Find something to celebrate each day. It can be something as small as your child reaching a mini-milestone, like using a spoon without spilling food, to you getting one step closer to your goal. Try to find joy, especially when doing things we dislike. For example, listening to your favorite tunes while doing the dishes will make the task so much for enjoyable.

Try to do these five things every day this month to help you feel more energetic, more excited about your goals. As busy moms, it's so easy to lose focus on our goals. Take this month to pause and remember to be the best to others; we have to care for ourselves.

References

Lawrence Robinson, Jeanne Segal, Ph.D., and Melinda Smith, M.A. "The Mental Health Benefits of Exercise" Last updated: August 2021, https://www.helpguide.org/articles/healthy-living/the-mental-health-benefits-of-exercise.htm.

"9 Self-Care Tips" Tony Robbins (blog), https://www.tonyrobbins.com/mental-health/self-care-tips/