If you’re like most moms, self-care is the last thing on your mind during your morning rush. Between getting your kids dressed, preparing their lunches, and getting ready for your own job, scheduling time for self-care can seem impossible.
However, you must prioritize self-care. Neglecting your own welfare can cause burnout and unnecessary stress. In return, this will affect your ability to care for your family. If you want your loved ones to get your best version, care for yourself first. Here are a couple of morning self-care tips to get you started:
How to Practice Self-Care as a Mom
Wake Up Naturally
In an ideal world, we’d all wake up naturally without the help of an alarm clock. But if you’re anything like me, you need one of these gadgets to get up on time.
While there’s nothing wrong with relying on an alarm clock, you’ll be more relaxed if you wake up gently by yourself. So what’s the secret to achieving this? Simply ensure that you’re getting the right amount of sleep. Sleeping for at least 7 to 9 hours every night allows you to wake up gently rather than in a panic mode.
Ditch Your Phone
One mistake moms make is to start scrolling their social media feeds as soon as they wake up.
The problem with doing this is that it wastes precious time you could otherwise spend on self-care activities. This could be reading a book, taking a long bath, or exercising.
Truthfully speaking, your morning routine can make or break your entire day. So you should be very mindful of how you spend those early hours.
Let’s say that you meant to use your phone for 15 minutes but spent an hour instead. This throws off your entire morning routine. Due to this, you’ll be rushing to do everything last minute. That doesn’t sound like a very nice way to start your day. Or does it?
Work Out
One of the best and easiest ways to care for yourself as a mom is to work out. And the most suitable time to exercise uninterrupted is during those early hours.
You can strike some yoga poses, go for a quick run, or take a power walk. It doesn’t matter how intense or subtle the exercise is. The most important thing is to move your body.
Treat Yourself to a Nutritious Drink
Looking for an easy way to pamper yourself in the morning? Then, consider treating yourself to a healthy drink.
Wake up early so you have ample time to prepare it. Or better yet, make it the previous evening and store it appropriately. Drinking a fresh juice, milkshake, or smoothie to start your day will guarantee you feel recharged and prepared to tackle the rest of your morning routine.
Create a Morning Routine
If there’s one thing you should take away from this post, it’s the importance of having a morning routine. Once your day starts, getting caught up doing all the “crucial house chores” is easy, leaving very little time for yourself.
So, the trick is to create a routine that works for you and your family. This way, you know exactly when to wake up, the tasks to do during those morning hours, and which ones to do later. A routine helps you get organized and have a productive rest of the day. Not sure what a routine looks like? Well, here’s an example to guide you:
Best Morning Self-Care Routine
The following is a simple 5-step self-care routine perfect for moms:
1. Get Up Earlier Than Your Family
The first thing you should be set on doing is waking up earlier than your kids or family. This way, you have ample time to care for yourself before caring for others.
How much earlier you wake up depends on the duration of your routine. If your morning activities take an hour, then plan to wake up an hour early.
2. Get Moving
The next step in your routine is to work out. For most moms, working out from home is the most convenient. However, if you live close to a gym opening early, feel free to take a short drive and exercise there. Obviously, you’ll need to plan this accordingly to ensure you’re on time with everything.
3. Fuel Your Body
After exercising, the next thing you should do is to fuel your body. Some moms prefer to start with a glass of lemon water, which is fine. But it’s also essential to eat a nutrient-rich breakfast so that you have enough energy to carry you through the day.
4. Review Your To-Do List
Another item you should make time for is reviewing your to-do list. Go through or write down everything you plan to do chronologically. This way, you can prepare for each activity and avoid feeling flustered or rushed.
5. Plan Your Meals
If you’re like most moms, meal planning is one of the biggest sources of stress. Six o’clock hits, and you have no clue what to prepare for family dinner.
Your kids are hungry and cranky. You, on the other hand, are too tired to put 2 and 2 together. To avoid all this chaotic rush in the evening, figure out your meal plan in the morning. This gives you ample time to look for ingredients and prepare everything in time.
6. Get Yourself Ready
Although this sounds like a no-brainer, it’s a crucial task that should be incorporated into every mom’s morning routine. Schedule enough time to get yourself ready. Factor in the time it takes to shower and do your makeup and hair, among others. I always recommend picking your outfit the night before to ensure this goes smoothly.
Conclusion
As a mom, putting your family’s needs before yours comes so naturally that you never stop to think critically about it. However, you need to realize that self-care matters just as much.
If you care for yourself first, you’ll be refreshed and energized to tackle the day’s activities. Some of the self-care tips you can practice are working out, having a nutrient-rich breakfast meal/drink, and getting adequate sleep so you can wake up naturally. Also, consider creating and following a morning routine.