Self-Care for Moms
By: Karmyn Boller | PILLARS OF WELLNESS
It’s that time of year where it feels like there’s a little more hope in the air. Something about the sun still shining after work and the ability to touch some grass makes everything feel more doable. For some moms that means outdoor playdates have returned, for others it means outdoor sports are back. For moms with school-age kids it means coordinating upcoming summer activities and camps. It seems no matter what the spring brings, moms are making it happen for those around them.
It often doesn’t happen without sacrifice though, and as a mom who works with other moms, I see all too often that the sacrifice is our own self-care. As moms we are up against so many pressures. Sometimes it’s the internal pressure of what it feels like we should be able to make happen. Other times it’s the external pressure of what society says we should be able to complete in a day. Throw in the pressure to keep up with the perfectly curated image of moms on social media, and it feels like there just aren’t enough hours in the day to prioritize ourselves.
Self-Care Is Not Selfish
Self-care often gets written off as a big extravagant luxury that mom guilt can quickly dismiss as selfish. When really, self-care is the fuel that allows moms to continue making it happen for those around them. Just like motherhood is not one-size-fits-all, there are different kinds of self-care.
What Self-Care Can Look Like
Physical self-care means making sure you’ve had some water alongside the caffeine (or maybe instead of it), making yourself a real plate instead of surviving on your kids’ leftovers, prioritizing rest when you can, and remembering to schedule your own doctor’s appointments. Physical self-care allows your body to keep going.
Emotional self-care can look like labeling your emotions, journaling, setting boundaries, or going to therapy. In the times where it feels like emotions are running the show, emotional self-care helps you process what you’re feeling and allows logic to return to the driver’s seat.
Mental self-care can be reading a book, doing a puzzle, or replacing negative self-talk with self-compassion. The mind is a powerful tool, and tending to it allows you to face the day’s challenges from a healthy, grounded place.
Spiritual self-care can include attending church services or getting involved in your faith community—but it doesn’t have to involve religion at all. Meditation and practicing mindfulness count too. Spiritual self-care is anything that allows you to feel connected to something bigger than yourself.
Social self-care can be arranging to meet a mom friend at the park for a playdate or catching up with a friend over coffee. Taking care of your social self helps challenge the isolating feelings that so often come with motherhood.
Small Habits Count Too
Some days self-care is the massage, the trip to the salon, or the weekend away. But self-care is also the small daily habits that keep fuel in the tank. We can’t always get away for extended time to ourselves, so sometimes it’s enjoying a solo trip to the store with your favorite podcast playing, or five quiet minutes to journal before the kids wake up or just after they go to bed.
Finding the ways that make sense for you to incorporate and prioritize caring for the different parts of yourself is just as important as caring for those around you. So take the time—and do something for you today.