Self-Care Tips For Working Moms To Stay Balanced Within

One of the most challenging jobs around is motherhood, and when you add work on top of that, it can cause so much burnout. Working moms (and single dads) are the ones who have to not only care for the kids, clean the home, and run errands but also deal with the work responsibilities so they can provide for their families. It is also rare today that one parent in a couple household can bring home the money while the other stays home with the kids and cares for the home. So, therefore, moms nowadays, more often than not, are working. In honor of Working Moms Day on March 12th, let’s discuss some essential self-care tips for working moms to stay balanced.

Why Self-Care Is Essential for Working Moms

What happens if you keep sacrificing yourself for others all the time or for your responsibilities and you never get respite? You become stressed, you burn out, and that will affect your mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual health, which will cause you to be depressed and resentful, develop headaches and issues with digestion, and eventually, the burnout will cause you to shut down. Working moms must get respite and take advantage of self-care options as they have too many responsibilities to face daily, and for them to keep going, they must take care of themselves.

Whenever there is a discussion of “self-care,” you may think it means going on expensive vacations or going to the spa to get facials, manicures, massages, etc. That is not the true definition of self-care, as that is more like self-indulgence. Indulging yourself occasionally is fine, but it is unrealistic for most people to do it too often. Let’s discuss the true definition of self-care, which every working mom (and stay-at-home mom) should do daily to recharge and fill up their “tank” to keep going with their responsibilities.

Stay Physically Active

Suppose you are a working mom who wants to ensure your physical health is in the best shape. In that case, it is essential to get physical activity as exercise is good for both your immune function and cardiovascular health and your mental, emotional, and spiritual health. You may think you get plenty of exercise by visiting your office and doing house chores daily, but that is not how it works. Yes, those things burn calories, but you are not getting the benefit from doing that to bring you balance within.

If you take a brisk walk, do some dancing, and even do some yoga, you will release many endorphins, the “feel good” hormones that will make you feel better all the way around. If you can take a half-hour a day to do something active that you enjoy, that is one of the best self-care activities you can do.

Your Diet Counts

Going to a drive-thru and getting fast food for you and your family may be tempting. And even if you do get the “healthiest” options, you are not getting the nourishment you need. Once in a while, if you are in a significant rush, that is one thing, but getting takeout and fast food will not nourish you and your family regularly. The best self-care tip is to nourish yourself with healthy, unprocessed foods from all four food groups: fruits and vegetables, proteins, lean dairy, and whole grains, the majority of the time.

You don’t have to spend too much money on healthy foods and do not need to spend hours in the kitchen prepping them daily if time is an issue. You can choose one day during the weekend to prep dinners for the week and freeze them. You can also subscribe to meal kits offering quick and healthy options, which are cheaper than getting food from the grocery store. Eating healthy foods most of the time will also make you feel better.

Do Some Breathwork

Deep breathing exercises can do much good for the mind, body, and soul because they can recharge you and make you aware of your body. Breathwork can help release the stress you hold onto in your body as it relaxes and rejuvenates you.

One breathing exercise you can try is taking 11 minutes to yourself; you will enjoy this exercise, known as Wim Hof Breathing.

The way it works is to get comfortable sitting somewhere that you won’t have to face distractions. You inhale and exhale 30 times. Following holding your breath for 30 seconds. Then, take a breath in and exhale for ten seconds.

Then, you will do the next step: inhaling and exhaling 30 times but holding your breath for one minute. Then, take another breath and exhale for ten seconds. Rinse and repeat, but this time, attempt to challenge yourself to hold it in for a minute and a half. Then, take in another breath to release for ten seconds.

If you have respiratory ailments such as asthma, you should talk to your doctor before trying this, as there may be appropriate alternatives.

Try to Get Back Into Old Childhood Hobbies

One of the best ways to provide yourself with some self-care while you are facing a lot of responsibilities is to get to know your inner child and…