Self-care is such an important part of motherhood, and especially when you’re a stay-at-home Mom. Being a stay-at-home Mom means that you are on duty 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. There is no point in which you get ready to leave for work. There are no work outings, holiday parties with coworkers or out-of-state conferences and retreats. For these reasons, and many more, it is so important that stay-at-home Moms make sure that they practice self-care each day, and especially during the day.
Positive Affirmations Are Part of Self-Care
A lot of people feel silly or have a hard time with positive affirmations. But I am here to tell you that positive affirmations can make such a big difference in your self-care routine. Affirmations do not have to be you standing in front of the mirror, reciting several words each day. They can be little reminders spread throughout the house that you read in small moments during the day.
I just started placing little positive affirmations and reminders throughout my house over the last year. At first it felt weird seeing the Post-It notes on my mirror, or the little quotes on the white board in my office. But over time they became part of my daily self-care routine, and now they make me smile. The more that I’ve read them to myself, the more that I have began to believe them.
Exercise and Movement Will Make You Feel Better
Let me start by saying that I am not here to preach lengthy exercise routines at you. I can’t keep up with them myself, so I’m definitely not going to push someone else to do them. But you can totally find ways to fit small amounts of exercise and movement into your day each day. As a stay-at-home Mom, I often fit my movement and exercise into a time when I can multitask.
My favorite way to multitask and get some movement in happens to be when I’m in the kitchen. I’ll usually be cooking dinner when I decide to turn on some music. You might feel silly dancing, but dancing is such a great form of movement! It will get your heart rate up a bit, it’ll feel good to let loose a little, and it’s guaranteed to make you smile at least a tiny bit.
As a stay-at-home Mom you can most likely find other ways to fit movement and exercise into your day without committing to a full-blown fitness plan. One of my other favorite ways to get some movement in is to play Just Dance with my daughters. I get to have fun with my girls while burning some calories. You can’t beat that!
Take a Small Self-Care Pause Each Day
Stay-at-home Moms are always in go mode. Whether you’re cleaning up after the family, making meals, wiping bottoms, doing laundry, etc…there is ALWAYS something to do. I beg you, please give yourself a self-care pause each day. It will look different for everyone, but it can totally be done.
What is a self-care pause? It’s that small amount of time that you take for yourself to just be. It can be five minutes in between chores, the first ten minutes after the kids go to bed, or the time while your child takes a nap. There is no right or wrong length of time as long as you give yourself a little bit of time to just sit and enjoy a few minutes for yourself. For me, this moment often comes in the last hour before my girls come from home each day. I always make sure to sit and give myself a few minutes before they come home. It allows me to reflect on what I’ve already done that day, and to think about what I need for my own being for just a few minutes. It doesn’t sound like much, but on the days that I skip my “pause” I’m much more likely to be a bit cranky in the afternoon.
Take the Time to Get Ready Each Day
Taking the time to get ready each day can make such a big difference as a stay-at-home Mom. There are plenty of days that I stay in my pajamas, don’t brush my hair or wash my face. Those are the days that I end up feeling kind of “blah,” though. Taking the five minutes to get dressed, wash my face and brush my hair each day makes me feel like a totally different person.
As stay-at-home Moms we often lose ourselves in day-to-day motherhood. Taking that five to ten minutes each day to get yourself dressed and ready can totally change your mindset for the day, andit can make you feel like a different person. And besides…it’s a basic part of self-care, not just self-care for stay-at-home Moms. Give yourself the same basic, day-to-day treatment and energy that you give to everyone else in your home. You deserve it!
Get Outside
Fresh air and sunshine can be a great thing for self-care. Stay-at-home Moms spend so much time inside of the home that it’s really important to make sure you get outside. On days when you can’t get outside or the weather isn’t great, open the blinds. It’s the first thing that I do every day. Natural sunlight, even on gray days, makes me so much happier.
Taking your kids to the park can be a great way to get the sunshine and fresh air while also giving your kids a way to burn some energy. Where we live here in Charlotte there are so many parks and playgrounds around us. On the days that we can visit a park or playground, the girls are so much happier and I feel so much more relaxed. Plus playgrounds are a great place to meet new mom friends! Can’t get to a park? That’s okay, too. Even taking a short walk around your yard with the kiddos is a perfect way to get outside.
Find Other Ways to Take Care of Yourself
Each stay-at-home Mom out there is different. While one form of self-care might work wonderfully for one Mom, it may not work out so well for another. All that matters is that you find what works best for you and your family.
So often stay-at-home Moms wait until a special day or event to practice self-care. But I’m here to tell you that you should and you can do it every day. It will make you a better mother, a better partner and it will make you feel better overall.
What is your favorite way to practice self-care as a stay-at-home Mom? Let us know in the comments below!
