The New Mom's Self Care Plan: Not Just For Sunday
Self care Sunday is officially a thing.
You can see it all over social media these days. Hashtag #selfcaresunday has over 440K posts! That's a TON of self care.
Many of us wait until Sunday to take that extra long bath, to use that face mask or polish our nails. While these rituals are great and such an important part of helping many of us busy mamas stay sane, I ask: why? Why wait until Sunday? Why not try to infuse a little self care into our daily routines? As I see it, there are 3 main types of self-care that fall into these categories: physical, mental and emotional.
Here are some ideas to take self care to the next level and make it an everyday occurrence. They don't need to be too involved and can take as little as 5 minutes. EVERYONE can find five minutes!
Some of these may seem obvious, and some may seem strange –– but don't knock them until you've tried them.
Physical:
Go for a walk either alone or with someone. A little physical movement and a moment of either silence or connection may be just what you need.
- Dance around your living room; like you used to before life got busy. If your dance party involves little ones, put on some of your music and introduce the kids to some classics! Think: Beatles, David Bowie, MC hammer, Whitney Houston, Destiny’s Child
- Reorganize or clean out something (trust me, this feels better than it sounds and brings an amazing sense of accomplishment).
- Give your face some love. Our 3 step routine is perfect for this. In less than 5 minutes, you can purify, brighten and hydrate! It’s like a mini facial.
Mental:
- Read a book or a magazine. Really anything to get your mind going.
- Draw, color or paint. Chances are your children are sitting at the coffee table scribbling away. Sit down with them and do what they’re doing. Not into Paw Patrol or Sophia the First? That's okay! They make a ton of adult coloring books these days. You can find them at places like Barnes and Noble or of course on Amazon.
- Turn off your phone. The world will not come to an end if you power down your phone for 5-10 minutes, and –– just like the way this is good for the phone –– it's good for you!
- Do a workout! I put this in mental instead of physical, because besides the obvious physical benefits, working out has amazing mental benefits. If you've seen Legally Blonde, then you know the famous quote by Elle Woods: “Exercise gives you endorphins. Endorphins make you happy. Happy people don’t just shoot their husbands, they just don’t.”
Emotional:
- Meditate. I know! I know! Meditating is hard. It takes practice and sometimes help. Just give it a try. There are a lot of apps out these days, paid and free; Headspace and Calm are two popular ones.
- Journal. Yup! Write it down. I prefer the old fashioned way with a beautiful notebook and a nice ballpoint pen, but feel free to use your computer or even the notes section of your phone. The point is to just get it out and let it flow.
- Talk with a friend or family member you haven't talked to in a while. I make a point to pick
- someone, an aunt, a cousin, my high school B.F.F and i call them –– out of the blue. You cannot even begin to understand how this very simple act can make someone's day, especially your own. Let them know you only have a set amount of time, but that you were thinking about them.
- Light a candle. Pick one that you love the smell of and let it fill the room. Smell is a very strong sense and can change your mood instantly.
Give yourself the same care and attention you give to others and watch yourself bloom ~
These are just a few ideas to get you started. We’d love to know if you have any you would like to share and add to this list, or if you plan on trying one of these. Please let us know!
