I was recently asked by Yumble to share an article about working moms and self care. I was so excited to be asked because this is an important subject to me being a working mom and a runner. Running for me is stress release and a social scene. When I moved from Texas to Wisconsin the local running group provided fitness and friendship for me. Please continue reading to learn more!
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Do you constantly feel busy and
stressed all the time? You’re not alone. According to survey
results, many American
families have busy lifestyles.
Unfortunately, those same results also
indicate mothers are still expected to do most of the housework, even if both
parents have full time jobs.
It’s easy to understand how that can
lead to burnout. Self-care is the best remedy to guard against burnout. As a
busy mother, you might feel you need to do everything for everybody, but this
type of attitude will actually sap your productivity in the long run. Do
yourself and everyone else in your life a favor by taking care of yourself.
These tips will help. If you’re not
sure how to embrace self-care with your busy lifestyle, keep them in mind.
Wake Up a Little
Earlier
Getting
enough sleep
is vital if you want to stay productive throughout the day. If you’re not
getting enough rest, your cognition will suffer, you’ll be more vulnerable to
heart disease, and you’ll simply be too stressed to handle your daily responsibilities.
That said, setting your alarm 15 or so
minutes earlier than you normally would can give you a little more quiet time
to yourself in the morning. Those few extra minutes can be used for reading,
meditating, or any other short activity you enjoy.
If you do feel the need to make use of
this time for your family, preparing quick breakfast ideas, planning dinner, or
fixing healthy, simple
vegetarian meals
for your kids to take to school is always an option, too. Try not to make this
a habit, though. It’s still important to allot time for yourself, too.
Adjust Your Attitude
Mother’s guilt is a very
common problem.
Don’t worry if you struggle with it. As a mom, you want to give your loved ones
the world. But, as a human, you can’t. Failing to meet your own expectations
for motherhood can make you feel too guilty to care for yourself.
Fight back against this attitude
whenever you notice these types of thoughts. Again, you’re only human. Having
needs and tending to them isn’t a flaw. It’s simply natural.
Be Willing to Ask for
Help
The more you realize you shouldn’t be
expected to be Supermom, the more you’ll realize it’s entirely acceptable to
ask other people for help when you need it. This is particularly important to
remember when survey results show responsibilities aren’t spread out evenly in
many of today’s families.
Maybe your spouse could do more to help
around the house. Simply asking for a little extra help will give you more time
to address your own needs.
Socialize
You aren’t just a mom. You may also be
a spouse, daughter, cousin, or friend.
Taking time to socialize with the other
important people in your life helps keep stress at bay, and research confirms
it. Additionally, you
may find it’s much easier to tackle your mom responsibilities when you give
yourself chances to switch out of “mom mode” and enjoy other relationships.
Set Your Own Goals
Busy moms can be so focused on taking
care of others that they forget to set their own personal goals. This can
result in an unfulfilling lifestyle.
What are you passionate about? Maybe
you want to create a side business or master a hobby. Perhaps you even have a
dream vacation in mind.
Reaching these goals can take time if
you’re a busy mother. However, setting them is important. They serve as
reminders that you’re also a person whose sole purpose isn’t simply taking care
of a family.
Remember, when you care for yourself,
your ability to care for your family increases. Self-care isn’t selfish. It’s
part of doing right by your loved ones.
