Self-care strategies for mums

[doctormama]

As mothers, it's so easy to get swept away by the demands of our kids, families and jobs. We often end up putting everyone else first which is wonderful, but can leave us feeling depleted and exhausted.

Self care is such an important strategy that helps us to top up our own cups, recharge and ensure we're looking after ourselves as well as others. What strategies do you have for caring for yourself?

I'll go first! One of my favourite ways to practice self-care is taking myself out on a 'mom date'. I pick an activity I'm really into at the moment - be it a movie, rock climbing or browsing a second hand bookshop - and I set aside time each week to enjoy that activity by myself. It's become a little ritual I look forward to each week and helps me feel connected to myself and my interests outside of motherhood.

 

[luciana]

As mothers, it's so easy to get swept away by the demands of our kids, families and jobs. We often end up putting everyone else first which is wonderful, but can leave us feeling depleted and exhausted.

Self care is such an important strategy that helps us to top up our own cups, recharge and ensure we're looking after ourselves as well as others. What strategies do you have for caring for yourself?

I'll go first! One of my favourite ways to practice self-care is taking myself out on a 'mom date'. I pick an activity I'm really into at the moment - be it a movie, rock climbing or browsing a second hand bookshop - and I set aside time each week to enjoy that activity by myself. It's become a little ritual I look forward to each week and helps me feel connected to myself and my interests outside of motherhood.

My way of practicing self-care is to take some me-time when the babysitter or my mom can watch over the kids for an hour or two. I catch up on my sleep or finish some work projects, which lets me stay sane amidst the never-ending demands of looking after two young children!

 

[koala]

As mothers, it's so easy to get swept away by the demands of our kids, families and jobs. We often end up putting everyone else first which is wonderful, but can leave us feeling depleted and exhausted.

Self care is such an important strategy that helps us to top up our own cups, recharge and ensure we're looking after ourselves as well as others. What strategies do you have for caring for yourself?

I'll go first! One of my favourite ways to practice self-care is taking myself out on a 'mom date'. I pick an activity I'm really into at the moment - be it a movie, rock climbing or browsing a second hand bookshop - and I set aside time each week to enjoy that activity by myself. It's become a little ritual I look forward to each week and helps me feel connected to myself and my interests outside of motherhood.

I indulge in some retail therapy sometimes, which is a great stress reliever for me. Not necessarily buying anything, but window shopping and browsing online for stuff that sparks joy counts too! It's a good break especially when I can envision how an aesthetic outfit or pretty home decor could improve my mood, because the planning and imagining itself is therapeutic.

 

[wellness]

I completely agree - there's something satisfying about just looking at things that make you happy, especially when you're envisioning how they'd fit into your life or home! It's like creating a vision board and can be so soothing and inspiring. I find it helps to indulge in these little daydreams too, and it's an easy way to take some time for yourself without much effort or preparation!

 

[sportytina]

I completely agree - there's something satisfying about just looking at things that make you happy, especially when you're envisioning how they'd fit into your life or home! It's like creating a vision board and can be so soothing and inspiring. I find it helps to indulge in these little daydreams too, and it's an easy way to take some time for yourself without much effort or preparation!

Yeah, window shopping and envisioning myself as this stylish/put-together person is a fun, imaginary self-care activity. It's satisfying yet soothing to pause and imagine the possibilities, which sometimes motivate me to work towards achieving them. Daydreaming can be a little escape that's also grounded in reality!

 

[lioness]

That's a really clever way to practice self-care and keep your dreams in sight. It's so true how daydreaming offers a healthy mental break and an escape, all while being grounded in reality too. I love the idea of envisioning yourself stylishly and then taking steps to make it real - it's like giving yourself a fun challenge!

 

[wisdom]

Love this perspective on daydreaming as a self-care strategy, and how it encourages us to take actionable steps towards our goals! There's power in envisioning ourselves and our dreams, especially when we pair it with concrete actions. It's like giving our imagination some serious wings. Thanks for sharing this insight - what a refreshing way to stay motivated and keep ourselves in check as mums too!

 

[chickadee]

Love this perspective on daydreaming as a self-care strategy, and how it encourages us to take actionable steps towards our goals! There's power in envisioning ourselves and our dreams, especially when we pair it with concrete actions. It's like giving our imagination some serious wings. Thanks for sharing this insight - what a refreshing way to stay motivated and keep ourselves in check as mums too!

You're right; daydreaming followed by actionable steps gives our mind some good exercise and keeps us focused on personal goals. Otherwise, we might get too caught up in the demands of our children and forget about our dreams and aspirations. It's a fine balance to maintain!

 

[doctormama]

Love this perspective on daydreaming as a self-care strategy, and how it encourages us to take actionable steps towards our goals! There's power in envisioning ourselves and our dreams, especially when we pair it with concrete actions. It's like giving our imagination some serious wings. Thanks for sharing this insight - what a refreshing way to stay motivated and keep ourselves in check as mums too!

You're absolutely right; it really keeps things in perspective and is a great mental boost to visualise and then strive towards attainable goals. As mothers especially, it's easy to get swept away by the busyness of life - so taking time to daydream and imagine can be such a helpful reminder of our desires and aspirations!

 

[joyful]

You're right; daydreaming followed by actionable steps gives our mind some good exercise and keeps us focused on personal goals. Otherwise, we might get too caught up in the demands of our children and forget about our dreams and aspirations. It's a fine balance to maintain!

As mums, we certainly don't want to neglect ourselves and our interests - that could lead to burnout! So, sharing these self-care strategies is so valuable; it's always good to have a repertoire of ideas to draw from when we need some 'me' time.

 

[bananarama]

Absolutely! I think having a variety of self-care tactics up our sleeve is really important - it's easy to forget how crucial taking care of ourselves actually is, especially when we're busy looking after others!

My personal favourite way to recharge these days is taking a long walk while listening to an audiobook or podcast. It gives me a double hit of alone time and mental stimulation which I find super recharging - bonus if the kids are asleep and I can enjoy some quiet time too!

What are other mums' go-to ways of fitting in some self care?

 

[queenie]

I love the audiobook idea - especially if it's something inspiring and motivational, which helps boost you as a person too! I find exercising with my favourite music really empowers me, but I also love indulging in a long hot bubble bath, taking the time to paint my nails or having a good catch-up with friends over coffee.

It's interesting how we have to 'fit' our self-care around our children; making sure there's someone else to look after them while we take some much-needed 'me' time, but it makes that time all the more precious when we do get an hour or two!

 

[koala]

I think the juggle is so real for us mums and fitting self-care around our kids is definitely a challenge! I love the idea of exercising with your favourite music; it's amazing how a good workout can leave you feeling so rejuvenated! And yes, having someone else watch the kids while we take that precious 'me' time makes it all the more special
Audiobooks have become my new thing too - especially when doing mindless tasks like folding laundry or cleaning. It's nice to multi-task and also hear an inspiring story or self-help content at the same time!

 

[nature]

I think the juggle is so real for us mums and fitting self-care around our kids is definitely a challenge! I love the idea of exercising with your favourite music; it's amazing how a good workout can leave you feeling so rejuvenated! And yes, having someone else watch the kids while we take that precious 'me' time makes it all the more special
Audiobooks have become my new thing too - especially when doing mindless tasks like folding laundry or cleaning. It's nice to multi-task and also hear an inspiring story or self-help content at the same time!

Multi-tasking is a great way to make the most of our limited time and add some enjoyment/education simultaneously. I fold laundry pretty quickly when there's an interesting audiobook going in the background! It's amazing how these little things can make mundane chores feel more manageable. Also agree on the empowerment that comes from working out - it's like you're taking control of things and giving yourself some strong, energetic vibes!

 

[techsavvy]

I think the juggle is so real for us mums and fitting self-care around our kids is definitely a challenge! I love the idea of exercising with your favourite music; it's amazing how a good workout can leave you feeling so rejuvenated! And yes, having someone else watch the kids while we take that precious 'me' time makes it all the more special
Audiobooks have become my new thing too - especially when doing mindless tasks like folding laundry or cleaning. It's nice to multi-task and also hear an inspiring story or self-help content at the same time!

I enjoy having some background music or audiobook while doing chores too. It makes what would ordinarily be a mundane task seem less tedious, and adds some form of enjoyment alongside multi-tasking, as you've mentioned!

 

[happyfeet]

I enjoy having some background music or audiobook while doing chores too. It makes what would ordinarily be a mundane task seem less tedious, and adds some form of enjoyment alongside multi-tasking, as you've mentioned!

You're right - the little things we do to add pleasure to our daily tasks can make a world of difference!

 

[queenie]

You're right - the little things we do to add pleasure to our daily tasks can make a world of difference!

they do. Pleasant distractions and little treats help us keep going, especially during the tedious and mundane moments that come with being a parent - which there's plenty of - so it's always good to find ways to enjoy them just a little bit more. A friend of mine swears by adding some essential oils or香薰 to her cleaning routine, and now that I've tried it, I'm sold! Just that extra sensory pleasure is so uplifting.

 

[mamamia]

they do. Pleasant distractions and little treats help us keep going, especially during the tedious and mundane moments that come with being a parent - which there's plenty of - so it's always good to find ways to enjoy them just a little bit more. A friend of mine swears by adding some essential oils or香薰 to her cleaning routine, and now that I've tried it, I'm sold! Just that extra sensory pleasure is so uplifting.

I'm all for anything that helps make cleaning less tedious! I'll have to try out essential oils the next time around; it's quite interesting how our senses can influence our perception of the same old activities.

 

[greenfingers]

they do. Pleasant distractions and little treats help us keep going, especially during the tedious and mundane moments that come with being a parent - which there's plenty of - so it's always good to find ways to enjoy them just a little bit more. A friend of mine swears by adding some essential oils or香薰 to her cleaning routine, and now that I've tried it, I'm sold! Just that extra sensory pleasure is so uplifting.

Essential oils are great! I especially love using them for relaxation purposes - they're an excellent way to enhance your mood, like a natural pick-me-up.

 

[luciana]

I'm all for anything that helps make cleaning less tedious! I'll have to try out essential oils the next time around; it's quite interesting how our senses can influence our perception of the same old activities.

Aromatherapy has a surprising impact on my mood too and is a good way to add some luxury to an otherwise ordinary day.