How to practice self-care on Valentine’s Day as a busy mom?
Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash
Many moms share a common sentiment — there’s not enough time in the day to complete everything that needs to be done. Cooking for the kids, keeping the house clean, working from home, or taking the dog out for a walk takes up most of your day.
If you’re a busy mom, you probably find it somewhat difficult to carve out time dedicated to self-care. However, Valentine’s Day is coming up and what better way to celebrate than to practice some much-needed self-care?
What is self-care?
According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), self-care involves taking the time to do something positive to improve your physical and mental health. When you engage in self-care practices, you can benefit your mental, physical, and emotional well-being. These activities might help you relieve stress, manage your time, lower your risk of illness, and increase your energy.
There are five key self-care categories to be aware of:
- Physical: Exercising, getting enough sleep, eating nutritious foods
- Mental: Coloring, journaling, playing games, doing arts and crafts
- Social: Spending time with family, friends, and coworkers
- Spiritual: Meditating, praying, or going to your place of worship
- Emotional: Processing emotions in a variety of ways, such as talking to a friend or partner or attending therapy sessions
Each category represents an area you can address in a self-care routine. It’s essential to find a balance between the five types. If you’re having an emotional day, you might want to seek out a friend or speak to your partner about your emotions.
If you’re feeling physically tired, you might want to go to bed early that night. These types of self-care activities can improve your mental and physical health.
7 ways to practice self-care on Valentine’s Day
As a busy mom, you must practice self-care because it allows you to show up the best you can for yourself and your family. Your kids and partner need you! Without engaging in self-care, it will be more challenging for you to complete all the things on your long to-do list.
Here are seven ways you can practice self-care this Valentine’s Day.
Set up a sleeping schedule
Getting enough sleep is imperative if you’re looking to engage in self-care. Without enough sleep, your body could run on fumes, making it hard to get through the day without a power nap.
Try to set up a sleeping schedule that works for you. If you need to get up early to prepare the kids for school, go to bed early. If you can sleep in one day, consider getting a couple of extra hours. Either way, be sure you stick to a regular sleep schedule.
Cook your favorite recipe
Another way to practice self-care is to cook your favorite recipe. Try to find a formula high in nutritional value, as it will make you feel good from the inside out.
Cooking is a great way to practice self-care — you can even ask your partner or children to help you cook your favorite meal — it can be a great bonding experience.
Move in a way that brings you joy
Finding time to work out may be challenging, depending on how busy your schedule is. However, not all workouts have to take place in a standard gym.
Go for a walk with the dog, do a 10-minute yoga session in your living room, or do some gardening in the backyard. Instead of pressuring yourself to get to the gym, consider finding new ways to be active that bring you joy.
Take breaks
Whether or not you work, it’s common for people to feel burnt out at times. If you’re feeling burnt out from work, consider taking a sabbatical. This extended time away from work can give you time to engage in more self-care activities, so you can return to work feeling your best.
If you’re a stay-at-home mom, be sure you spend some time alone to engage in self-care. A busy home can sometimes become overwhelming, and we all need time to recharge our social batteries and feel mentally and physically healthy.
Have a spa day
Another great way to treat yourself is to schedule a spa appointment. The spa can help you relax your mind, body, and spirit. It can be a much-needed rejuvenation to ensure you’re on top of your game for the upcoming weeks.
Most spas use high-quality cosmetic products that you might not have at home. Ask a close friend or family member to join you for your spa day — you won’t regret it.
Plan a family vacation
Sometimes, the best way to care for yourself is by getting away for a bit. You can plan a family vacation to help you feel refreshed and more connected to your family members.
It’s also worth considering taking a vacation with a close friend, as this can be a great way to bond and create memories.
Buy yourself something nice
On this Valentine’s Day, you might expect your partner to bring home flowers and chocolates or your kids to bring Valentine’s cards from school.
Although these gifts are nice and thoughtful, don’t hesitate to buy yourself something nice. Maybe you’ve been eyeing a new pair of shoes or an expensive handbag. Treat yourself to something nice — you deserve it!
Enjoy your Valentine’s Day by caring for yourself
As a mother, life gets busy, and it might feel like there’s no way to balance everything on your to-do list. However, self-care needs to be a top priority for you, especially with a busy schedule. If you let your self-care routine slip, you may have a harder time accomplishing all the things you need to get done. Use some self-care tips above if you’re a busy mom looking to enjoy Valentine’s Day.