6 Easy Self-Care Ideas That Even the Busiest Moms Can Do
/
I don’t know who I think I am to be writing a blog about self-care, because I am admittedly terrible about it. It took me 4.5 years after having my first kid just to take one night away. (Unless you count my two nights in the hospital after giving birth to my second, which you should definitely not – even if it did almost feel like a vacation at one point when I was eating ice cream someone had hand-delivered me while watching Modern Love on my iPad.)
But I’m trying to be better about it, because I realize the toll it can take on a person to be too focused on others and not focused enough on yourself. Also, I’m over 40 now, and my hair is turning grayer by the minute, my skin has looked better, and my body hurts all of the time.
So here are a few things I’ve been trying to do lately. And if I can do them, you can do them too!
Take a Bath
I have come to view bath time as a source of stress. Whether it’s because my kids are crying because they had to take a bath, crying because they have to get out of the bath, or screaming bloody murder because I am apparently washing their hair with acid, it’s always something. Even during the times when all bath-related activities are going smoothly enough, there is still just so much wrangling.
Remember the days when the bath was a place to relax? Well it turns out that still exists – you just have to find the time to actually be able to unwind on your own. For me, that means after my kids go to bed. One night per week, I run the water on hot instead of lukewarm, add some of these Dr. Teal’s Pre- and Post-Workout Epsom Salts to soothe those sore muscles that only moms know exist, and let the stress go. I try to stay off my phone and instead indulge in my guilty pleasure of a People or Us Weekly magazine, and sometimes bring a glass of wine or Bailey’s on ice to make it feel extra luxurious.
Apply a Hair Mask
Now that I have to color my hair so frequently to cover all the grays, it has started getting really dry. I always want to do one of those hair masks, but you have to leave them on for 10-20 minutes, and who has that kind of time on any given day? So now I pick one day in the week to take an extra long shower to use this Avocado and Coconut Hair Mask. If I just can’t make it work in the morning, I wait to wash my hair until the evening after my kids have gone to bed and I’m not in such a rush. Or I combine it with my bath night, so I can leave the hair mask on while relaxing in the tub.
Use a Face Mask
I’ve never been a huge face mask person, but I’m starting to become one because my skin has seen better days. I don’t know if it’s postpartum changes (not sure I can use that excuse anymore because my youngest is 2) or age, but I find that using both an exfoliating mask and a moisturizing mask every week really helps. When I had a mask sitting on my bathroom counter and hadn’t gotten around to using it for two whole weeks, I knew I had to start making this more of a priority. The face masks don’t take too long – usually between 5 and 15 minutes – so I just head up to get ready for bed a little early two nights per week. I alternate between the Exfoliating Facial Mask with AHA and Fruit Acids by Teal Botanicals (which I especially love because it’s all natural, gentle and not drying) and the Neutrogena Hydro Boost Moisturizing Sheet Face Mask for extra hydration.
Get a Massage
It can be very hard to find the time for a massage, but oh man is it worth it. My whole body is basically broken, so I make sure to get a massage at least once per month. This is not a spa massage I’m talking about, although that would be nice – more of a functional massage. I found a chiropractor place with a great massage therapist that takes my insurance, so I pay my $40 copay (+ a $20 tip) to get an amazing deep tissue massage by someone who really knows their stuff, without breaking the bank. I also love Asian or Thai massage places, because they’re usually very cheap and very good. I just look up nearby places on Yelp and read the reviews to find a good one.
Use a Foot Massager
I LOVE foot massages but my husband has always hated giving them, so one year for my birthday he got me the Shiatsu Foot Massager with Heat by truMedic. I have to say, it’s amazing and far better than any massage he has ever given me. Plus it doesn’t get tired or a hand cramp after only 5 minutes. My feet have never been as sore as they are now, chasing after my kids all day long, so a foot massager really feels worth the investment. There’s still time to add it to your holiday wish list!
Stretch
As amazing as all of the luxurious self-care listed above is, what makes me feel best of all is daily stretching. This has got to be an age thing, exacerbated by having kids later in life, but my body is stiff and sore ALL THE TIME. It’s so tempting to just lie down on the couch at the end of the day, in whatever position I happened to fall, but lying still actually makes my body feel even tighter, so I have to force myself to stretch. I also have to admit that stretching at night is more relaxing than watching TV, and a good way to end the day and wind down for bed.
I randomly found this Yoga for Back Pain Relief video on Amazon Prime that is only 20 minutes and makes me feel instantly more limber, so I try to do that one a few times per week. There’s also a website called ROMWOD that has great stretching programs where you hold poses for several minutes at a time. And Peloton has some amazing restorative yoga videos (if you don’t have the bike yet, you can save $100 with code X8Z8D7; or you can just get the app for only $12.99/month and stream it on your TV) – you can choose various durations depending on how much time you have, which is a great option. They say you can do everything using household objects, but I found it worth investing in a few key yoga items: set of two cork yoga blocks (comes with strap), bolster, and two yoga blankets.
You can also just make up your own stretching routine with whatever stretches you think would help your particular aches, pains & tightness. I am not very good about this, but trying to get better because I really need to stretch out my neck, back and shoulders every day. I find morning to be my best time for that – I set my alarm for 30 minutes before my kids get up so that I can do my stretches while enjoying that one uninterrupted cup of coffee (using my Ember Mug so it doesn’t get cold – seriously best purchase I’ve made in a long time). If I’m feeling really ambitious, I set my alarm for an hour before my kids get up (which means 5:30am around here), so that I can also get in a 20-minute Hydrow workout beforehand.
I hope some of these ideas work for you! I really have to make a conscious effort to force myself to take time for self-care in any form, but it’s worth it. And with that reminder, I’m going to head up to do a face mask and stretch before bed.
Got more favorite self-care ideas for fellow moms? Please feel free to share them in the comments below!