Self-care is essential to parenting, achieving your dreams, and sustaining yourself, and more. I have realized that often we tend to complicate self-care, making it harder to stay true and committed to it. If self-care sometimes feels like an added chore, here are 5 tips to simplify self-care that I have used.
Redefine self-care for yourself.
So many definitions of self-care exist out there, and honestly, it can be overwhelming. Therefore, it is essential to define self-care for yourself. Take some time and consider what self-care means to you. According to the Oxford dictionary, self-care is the practice of taking action to preserve or improve one’s health, the exercise of taking an active role in protecting one’s well-being and happiness, particularly during periods of stress. But, you need to know what this means to you. To me, it means taking care of myself, that I matter too. It means setting boundaries. It is about opening up about how I feel on the inside and challenging myself to try new things and follow my dreams. However, that is just me; you need turn to take the time to consider what self-care means to you.
List all the things that make you feel alive.
Nobody knows you better than you know yourself, and fortunately, self-care is not a one-size-fits-all. We have examples and types of self-care, but those are supposed to lead and guide us in creating our self-care plans and routines. However, before you view these, I suggest that you brainstorm some things that make you feel alive, things that when you do spark something on the inside of you! It is necessary because it takes the pressure to do it someone else’s way off of you. Listen to yourself and respond in a way that your body needs you to respond. Respond to your needs! So take the time to make a list of things that matter to you.
Go back to basics.
I’ve mentioned so many times that self-care can seem daunting even to begin. It can seem like a big unrealistic and unattainable goal, I know, but it does not have to. Consider your most basic needs as a human and evaluate if you’ve been neglecting any of these. For example, ask yourself these questions :
- Water – have I been keeping myself hydrated?
- Sleep – am I getting enough sleep?
- Food – have I been consuming nutritious food that adds value to my body and its longevity?
- Movement- have I been moving my body enough?
- Social – have I been spending quality time with those that I love and hold dear to my heart?
You can begin here, and if you feel like you have been neglecting some of these lately, you need to revisit them and add them to a list.
Brainstorm how to add pockets of self-care to your day.
I have to say that a common barrier to self-care for so many moms that I’ve spoken to is the lack of time. Our lives are so busy, as we live in a generation awards overworking so much that some wear it as a badge of honor. Nonetheless, you have to find the time to add some pockets of self-care to your day. I found it simpler to attach self-care activities or items to things that I already do every day. For example, I listen to a podcast while I do my house chores. I play my music while I shower and I have swapped scrolling on social media at 5 a.m. for my gratitude journal, setting the tone for my day. Self-care does not have to take hours unless you are having a full self-care day (I need one of those, by the way). Be creative with how you can add your self-care to things that you’re already doing every day.
Acknowledge your season of motherhood.
We are all currently experiencing different seasons of motherhood, and you need to be sensitive to how that even affects how we can practice self-care! A mother with a newborn won’t have as much time to herself as one with a toddler. We need to be sensitive to what we can be able to do. You may not have time to go for coffee but may have the time to light a scented candle that calms you. You may not have time for spa dates but can fill up five minutes of a gratitude journal while your toddler is sleeping. Embrace the season that you are in currently!
You are a valuable mama, and self-care is supposed to be that reminder for you. It does not have to be complicated at all. Always remember that your holistic health is worth working on and that you can do it your way. These are my 5 tips to simplify self-care; how have you simplified self-care in your life?
