Trying to figure out how to get your self-care schedule back on track? If you’ve fallen out of the self-care habit during the pandemic, you’re not alone. The constant stress has made it so much harder to stick with healthy, positive routines. Moms, who tend to put everyone before themselves regardless, are even more likely to wind up neglecting self-care. As a result, feeling and looking your best can feel totally out of reach. Fortunately, there are some simple, straightforward self-care tips for moms you can take to get back into your routine and feel like yourself again. Here are some ideas from Sharing Bipolar to get you started:
Get Help
You don’t have to figure out the best approach to wellness alone. There are plenty of freelance wellness experts out there who would be happy to help you come up with a plan to reach your goals. You can use job boards to find someone to guide you through the process and take some of the prep work off your plate. You can also find help by joining up with a friend (or group of friends) to reach your goals together. Community support can be invaluable when it comes to sticking with your goals. Friends give you someone you can turn to to celebrate, commiserate, and everything in between.
Improve Your Confidence
If you suffer from low self-esteem, it’s time to address whatever is causing you to feel this way. This could include everything from exercising more frequently or brushing up on a skill that’s affecting your work. Whatever the case may be, you need to confront it head-on.
For example, many people are self-conscious about their smiles because they suffer from misaligned teeth. Although severe cases should be treated by a dentist, those who have mild misalignment have at-home options to explore. And if you don’t like the idea of wearing an aligner during the day, you have options. Byte, for example, offers an All-Night option that requires you to only wear it for around 10 hours a day.
Of course, that’s just one example. The point is this: determine what’s affecting your confidence levels and try your best to overcome it. Chances are, you may feel better once all is said and done!
Focus on Nutrition
Although moms spend a lot of time thinking about what their family will eat, their own nutrition can fall into the backburner. Too often we turn to a junky snack or quick meal, rather than truly nourishing our bodies with the foods and nutrients we need to thrive. A great way to boost your wellness and start feeling better fast is to make sure you’re eating a varied, nutritionally balanced diet.
It’s also wise to consider adding depression-busting foods, such as yogurt, avocado, chicken, or turkey into your diet. These types of foods help you get the nutrients your mind and body need. Although they’re far from a one-stop solution to poor moods, they can make a difference and give other mental health efforts a serious boost.
Learn to Live in the Moment
So much of our lives as moms is spent planning. A certain amount of looking ahead is basically unavoidable when you’re running a household, but it can easily get out of hand. If you’re spending almost all of your time preoccupied with what’s coming up next, you’re likely to develop serious anxiety. Over time, you may even struggle to cope.
Learning how to live in the present moment is a powerful antidote to constant worry. After all, most moments in our day-to-day lives aren’t really anything to stress about. If we can learn to focus on the joyful sounds of our children playing or the way the light is coming into the room, we’ll simply have less headspace for ruminating on stressful thoughts.
If you find yourself running through your to-do list or mentally planning for all possibilities, take a deep breath. Then, notice five things happening right now. This can be anything from the sound of the traffic outdoors to the feeling of your feet on the ground to the thoughts and emotions running through your head. Don’t try to change it — just notice. If you do this each time your thoughts start to spiral, you’ll build a habit and, eventually, be able to step away from the thoughts that aren’t serving you.
Learning how to prioritize self-care in times of stress and chaos is a valuable skill. Treating yourself with kindness, especially when it’s hard, will always serve you well. We hope this article inspires you to take good care of yourself and gives you the strength and energy you need to tackle whatever comes next.
Photo Credit: Pexels Researched and Written by Kimberly Thomas
