Self Care Sunday Ideas for Busy Moms
What is Self - Care?
You may have heard the term "self - care", especially during the last two years, and seen the associated images of women lounging, applying face masks, or even sipping a tall glass of red wine. As a busy mom, you might feel like you would never be able to "self - care" because you feel limited in your time or that you don't have the space or support to do so.
But did you know there's actually different types of self - care? It's true - social media might make it seem like you need a fancy silk bathrobe and luxurious marble tub to practice self - care, but that's not the case at all.
Self - care is defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) as the ability of an individual to promote and maintain health, prevent disease, and to cope with illness and disability with or without the support of a healthcare provider. In simple terms, it means the ability to take care of yourself and improve your own vitality. There are generally seven types of self care: emotional, physical, mental, social, spiritual, practical, and professional.
For the mothers in our community, we curated this list of eight essential self care ideas that are simple, practical, and easy to implement and build into your schedule.
Self Care Sunday Ideas
1) Self - Awareness
The first step to any wellness goal is to be in a state of self - awareness. In order to be successful with your self - care routine, you have to become aware of your stressors, triggers, and personal needs.
2) Plan Ahead
The key to success for any routine is to prepare and plan ahead of time. Plan a weekend that you want to take time for yourself or with your significant other and pencil it in with the sitter. If the kids have to be home, try to plan around their schedules or bedtimes, so you can still do some of the things that you love.
3) Exercise
Staying active can have many physical, mental, and emotional benefits and should be considered when you're planning your self - care routine. The point is to stay active - and this active movement can look like anything you want it to, as long as it's something you enjoy and will continue.
4) Journal
Motherhood can get lonely sometimes, and you may not have a lot of people to talk to that can understand what you're going through. Taking some time in the morning, at night, or throughout the day to journal and jot down some feelings may help to take the load off, and keep you emotionally and mentally balanced. When writing, try to keep the words and tone positive because the words you use determine your thoughts, and your thoughts determine your emotional and mental state.
5) Girl's Day Out
If you have the ability to spend the day with your girl friends, definitely get out of the house, explore, and have fun! Spending some quality time in a social setting with supportive people can uplift your spirits, rejuvenate your mind, and refill your cup, so when you return to your family, you are in an even better state.
6) Clean / Organize
When you have a tidy space, it's easier to control the cycle of depression and anxiety. Sometimes things can get out of place, especially when you have children running around the house. A simple way to manage this is to remind yourself that complexity leads to inaction - try simplifying each task to one or two smaller tasks. Once you've completed those, you will gain the confidence needed to continue on to larger projects.
7) Skincare Routine
No matter what anyone says, skincare is self - care! Whether you choose to wear that face mask or lather on a creamy body moisturizer, the act of touching and connecting with your body will not only increase self - awareness but also self - love. When we have kids, we tend to put ourselves on the back burner, but when we take the few extra moments to really reconnect with ourselves it can improve mood, sensuality, and increase our vitality and energy. For a full body care routine you'll love, try our four Essential Routine products.
8) Meal Prep
Nourishing your body with healthy food is an important act of both self - care and self - love. Food gives your body the energy it needs to sustain itself and push you through the day's tasks. Consider planning time to prepare food for the week, or even spending some quality time with the kids by cooking together.
This article covers ideas for Self - Care Sundays, but we know as a parent, sometimes your plans don't always work out the way you thought. So consider these examples for any day of the week that you can fit them in - one of the main concepts of self - care is being flexible and compassionate towards yourself. And remember, even with the roles and responsibilities you have as a mother, entrepreneur, college student, or worker - you are still YOU and deserve to reconnect with and prioritize yourself.
