If we’ve heard one thing we need to be doing as moms, we’ve heard hundreds. At this point, it can be difficult to keep up with everything we’re supposed to be doing, especially with life throwing out things like pandemics, job losses, and all kinds of surprises these days.
But there’s one thing we all know is important, and if we aren’t doing it, we know we’re taking a big risk.
It’s taking care of ourselves.
Yep, I said it. Without self-care, we’re taking a big risk (too big if you ask me) – a realization I came to only after years of not taking care of myself and suffering the consequences.
When we don’t take care of ourselves, we might think we’re just making necessary sacrifices to serve our families, but actually we’re risking our health, risking not being there for the good stuff later in our kids’ lives – their graduations, their weddings, our grandkids. We’re risking not really being there now too – knowing how hard it is to truly be present when we’re not feeling our best.
So, what does self-care actually look like for a busy mama these days?
Some of us love green smoothies, and some just don’t. Some of us are able to eat big, healthy salads every day, and some just aren’t. Some of us have older kids and can get some alone time to exercise every morning before they wake up, and some of us can’t even find a spare moment for exercise right now. Some of us have other limitations or, let’s face it, a few bad habits sabotaging our health right now.
No matter which camp you live in, you can still take good care of yourself by getting into these 3 simple self-care routines:
#1 – EMOTIONS: When you close your eyes on your pillow at night and everything’s quiet, how do you truly feel? Are you hopeful, excited, full-of life? Are there some nagging worries there or perhaps something more serious you’ve been trying to ignore? Write it down in your journal or get some help chasing the blues away. Do it for as long as it takes.
Emotional health is often the foundation of so many of our habits – good and bad.
#2 – BODY: We all know that moving our bodies, drinking water, and eating natural, healthy foods is the absolute best way to feel our best and take care of our bodies for the long run, so what prevents us from doing those things consistently? Habits. Are you moving your body, drinking enough water, and getting the nutrition you need every day? Are there some serious changes you need to make so that your body feels its best and does what you need it to do?
Reach out for help, read stories of people who have made big health changes, and research the best way to do this from people you trust in person and online. Set a timer to remind you to drink water every day. Make an appointment with yourself to get out for a walk every day. Get into a routine that works for you and stick to it. A little goes such a long way if you do it every single day!
Here’s my personal story about a big health change I made 9 months ago. (don’t worry – it’s not a diet, just some healthy habits and allergies I had to make myself face)
#3 – MIND/SOUL/SPIRIT: Several times a day, ask yourself, what’s one thing that’s taking up too much of my mental energy right now? Who do I need to text or email quickly? What do I need to clean or handle right now so that my mind can rest easily? What do I need to write down so it’s not taking up room in my brain?
If you make this a regular practice, you’ll be surprised just how clearly you can think, how focused you can be, and how present you can be with your family. If you struggle with organization, here’s something to make it easier.
And that’s it – while there are so many facets to great health, starting with these three simple self-care routines will help you build the momentum you need to be healthy in the long run.
Here’s how it works for me: I make myself a promise every day that I will find time to do yoga, go out for a walk, drink water, listen to an audiobook, and that I won’t eat junk I’m allergic to. I take breaks when I need them. I reach for my water bottle when I’m thirsty. And I keep up with the areas I’m struggling in by using a simple habit tracker.
I make mistakes. I fall off the horse. Then I get right back on her and keep going. I don’t let myself feel guilty. I only focus on right now and what I want for the future, and I do two of those things at the same time as often as I can (drink water while I walk, listen to audio books while I walk, etc.) AND I make friends with healthy mamas who encourage me, help me identify where I’m falling off the horse again, and inspire me to go after it. (You can find some of those mama resources here.)
If you’re thinking that taking care of yourself is something you just can’t afford right now because your kids are too small or your budget is too tight, take it from someone who made that mistake and paid for it for far too long. We really can’t afford not to take care of ourselves – it’s far too risky.
Want to chat more about self-care routines?
Come on over to my email group and shoot me a message – I love hearing from mamas every single day!
Celeste Orr is an adventure-loving mama on a 7-year long cross-country camping trip with her family, homeschooling her tween and teen boys on the coast of Maine, writing books and hosting a fun email group to help families build connection and go after big family dreams at togethernessredefined.com.
