How Busy Mums Can Develop a Self-Care Plan
Don’t be mistaken in thinking self-care plans are not possible for mums or worse, are a selfish act! The truth is everybody can benefit from implementing a self-care routine, especially mothers. Balanced self-care for mums helps to maintain good mental and physical wellbeing. Self-care is about preventing poor health, burn out and can help you be the best version of YOU. It doesn’t have to be detailed, complex or time consuming. Here’s how to organise a plan and why it’s beneficial to do so.
What is a self-care plan?
The idea of a self-care plan for mums is to develop a healthy regimen that maintains wellbeing, mental and physical, even when life is going well for you. Your plan should entail daily practices that assist with good health and emotional wellness, like walking and meditating each day. Other self-care practices can include, among others, mindfulness, swimming, yoga, jogging, dancing, surfing and eating wholesome foods.
The best self-care plan for you will fit into your lifestyle and address your personal needs. This is a very important factor for mothers as we are already juggling family and work commitments and are time poor. So, if you work in an office all day, you can include exercise in your daily routine, and if your life is often stressful, you will benefit from carrying out mindful practices. Or, if you suffer from anxiety or depression, you could write in a journal.
As a parent you want to ensure that you are having a little time to yourself each day to stay in touch with yourself as an individual, away from your family responsibilities. This can be as simple as 15 minutes stretching before the rest of the house wakes up or 5 minutes with a hot cup of coffee or tea in a quiet place.
How to incorporate your plan into your life
The size of your self-care plan is up to you. Make it manageable and realistic, or it won’t last long. As a mum you definitely don’t need to add more overwhelm to the daily challenges of motherhood. Start small by adding one new thing a day over a week or so to really cement the practice. It’s not about finding time but about making time in your schedule. 2 minutes of deep belly breathing once you’ve dropped the kids to school or daycare is a example of a simple self-care activity that won’t push you over the edge.
Schedule practices like meditation and exercise into your diary to take place at specific times of the day. If you don’t, you may forget about them or not have time and energy for them. Treat your self-care practices as if they are an appointment. Lock out time in your diary and if something comes up and you need to check your diary for availability hold self-care activities with the same importance as a doctor’s appointment. Unless it’s an emergency, only take on new appointments/activities when you have free time.
Self-care should be not negotiable. Mums are constantly putting everyone else’s needs above themselves, but this is unattainable long term. To be a good mother, you cannot pour from an empty cup. I know, we’ve all heard it before, so now is the time to start prioritising yourself. One step at a time.
A self-care plan will help to prevent overwhelm
Many people increase self-care when they face a crisis. By then, they already suffer from stress-related conditions. A self-care plan helps you prepare for times when life gets rough, like a pay it forward of filling your cup. It shows you how to practice helpful methods to reduce anxiety, build resilience, and manage your wellbeing.
A care plan will reduce stress before it has time to build. You are less likely to succumb to strain when you take care of your mental and emotional needs daily. Chronic stress weakens your resolve and drains you but engaging in self-care methods helps you cope well with life’s challenges. Science has proven mindfulness to build self-awareness and emotional regulation which is integral in ensuring positive mental health outcomes.
A self-care plan can empower you
You have tools at your fingertips to help you manage if you have a self-care plan in place and challenges arise. You know where to turn and what to do to calm your mind and look after your body. People without plans often panic when faced with health conditions or when stress strikes. They use unhelpful methods to boost their mood and improve energy, like alcohol consumption, drug-taking, and comfort eating. These fast fixes erode their wellbeing in the long term and aren’t sustainable.
Self-care plans increase regular healthy habits
Having a self-care plan for mums means you create a healthy routine to improve your wellbeing. You don’t flit from one self-care strategy to the next or quit before you see any benefits from your endeavors; you implement your plan as part of your daily routine. It is second nature to you, and your healthy behaviors become sustainable habits.
Everyone can benefit from a personalised self-care plan to aid physical and mental wellbeing. Tailor yours to match your needs and lifestyle, and you’ll manage stressful situations well and enjoy better overall health.
Need some help getting started?
If you need some help getting started Mayhem to Mindful offers FREE 30 minute Kickstart Coaching sessions that can identify your self-care goals and put a plan into practice!
For more info check out https://www.mayhemtomindful.com.au/work-with-me or schedule your FREE session HERE
The time is now to prioritise yourself!
Kasey x