30 Self-Care Ideas for Moms to Boost Metal Health

 

This post was updated in November of 2020. 

As a busy mom myself, I know it can be hard to take the time for self-care. How is it possible to take care of everyone else, the house, and get everything done that needs to be done and still have time for yourself? There are several self-care ideas for busy moms that don’t take a lot of time. Self-care ideas that even you can find time for! And it’s important to take care of yourself, Mama. You deserve it and you need it. 

*This post may have affiliate links, of which I may earn a commission at no aditional cost to you.

1. Take Half an Hour for a Haircut

Listen. This one is huge for me. Up until a couple of days ago, it had been 2 years since I’d gotten a haircut. Seriously. Considering the fact that I’m breastfeeding and it falls out all the time, my hair was thin, down to my butt, and so hard to keep up with. So, my hubby dropped me off at a salon, handed me $100 and told me to treat myself. Unwrapping my hair from my baby’s fingers is so much less of a thing now!

2. Take a Long Bath

I think I have taken a bath one time since I had my son and he’s 2 and a half years old. Even then, that bath was an Epsom Salt bath because of my horribly aching hips from my second pregnancy. It was wonderful. After the birth of my daughter, I have been unable to find the time to take a bath. It’s really sad, too, since Hubby went out and bought me a few bath bombs…Maybe this will be my next self-care item checked off my list!

3. Go for a Self-Care Walk

Walks are totally possible when you have kids! However, a walk without a baby on your hip or a little hand in your own is a rarity. Not that I’d ever get sick of those walks – I love my babes. But occasionally, taking in the sights of nature and the sounds of the birds chirping alone is a bit more relaxing than answering the What’s that? question every 5.7 seconds.

4. Sleep In

I’m a little spoiled with this one, but I know most moms aren’t! Let Dad get the kids up and going in the mornings every once in a while! I’m so blessed that my babies are late sleepers because I am a late sleeper myself! Even on the mornings where my toddler wakes up a bit earlier, Hubby gets up with him a good chunk of the time. (I know I’ve got a good one!)

5. Enjoy a Nap

One of the things I miss the most from my pre-mom life is the ability to take a nap! Now that I work from home, if my kids take a nap, I have to work. If they don’t take a nap (which is far more common), I am busy with them and doing chores. I’m to the point that a nap makes me feel guilty. There’s always something that needs to be done. If I could get a guilt-free nap, I’d be so happy. It is good for your self-care!

6. Self-Care in the Form of a Mani/Pedi

This doesn’t even have to be professionally done! I painted my toes for the first time in I don’t know how long a few days ago. It was a quick paint job – no more than 5 minutes, but I feel so much better! It’s amazing what something so simple can do for a busy mom! If you get the time to get it done at a salon – do it! I’m dreaming of it now.

7. Take Time for a Full Body Moisturize

I cannot tell you the last time I had time after a shower to put on moisturizer. It’s like those extra few minutes are hours when you’ve got a 2-year-old banging on the bathroom door and asking if you’re done. That’s my life, anyway. I have more lotions than I know what to do with, especially since I no longer have the time to use them!

8. Drink a Self-Care Smoothie

I love a good, healthy smoothie. But, my toddler is terrified of the blender. If I could just get a blueberry banana with kale, I’d be good to go for the day. Which sounds really delicious and I’m wondering if it’s worth waking up my toddler to make one…I digress. Get yourself a smoothie, Mama.

9. Get Dressed Up!

Since I’ve become a work from home mom, I wear sweatpants every single day. That is not a complaint. Having said that, I do tend to look like a slob on a daily basis. I even tend to stick to jeans for church, as anything more is hard when Hubby is at work and I’ve got to tote the little ones by myself. When I worked in management prior to the arrival of my daughter, I still wore dress pants and a company polo every day. So, dressing up is a rarity. I want to remind myself that I can still clean up nice!

10. Order In/ Go Out for Dinner

Cooking every single day is exhausting. At least for me! I don’t mind cooking, but it does require effort for me. The cleanup is the worst part if you ask me! So, order a pizza or go out for dinner. Leave the cooking and cleanup to someone else for the night! It’s a self-care idea for moms that we all can appreciate. 

11. Read a Book for Enjoyment and Self-Care

I took the kids to the library a couple of weeks ago and got my own book to read as well. I’ve read exactly one chapter. That isn’t a commentary on the book itself, it was actually a very good first chapter. It is actually a testament to the amount of free time I have for reading books that aren’t full of pictures.

12. Go Shopping!

I don’t mean grocery shopping, although if you’re able to do that by yourself that’s a gift. Buy yourself something that makes you feel good! A new pair of shoes, new underwear (when’s the last time you bought new undies?!), cute home decor. Whatever it is, enjoy it! Make sure it is for you!

13. Get a Good Massage

A good massage can be hard to come by, but if you find a quality masseuse, take advantage! Despite my bad impression of a professional massage in the past (horribly bruised back was not what I was going for!), I would love to find a masseuse that could relax all the tension in my back and shoulders. In this case, it might be worth it to spend the extra money on quality!

14. Get Hot in a Sauna

My college’s gym had a sauna and I absolutely loved it! Talk about self-care! I haven’t been in one since, but I would love to go again! I know that most gyms have access to a sauna, as well as day spas. 15 minutes in a sauna would help me to relax for sure!

*This post may have affiliate links, of which I may earn a commission at no aditional cost to you.

15. Have a Girls’ Night!

I believe the last girls’ night I had was my bachelorette party in 2015. I don’t have a lot of female friends in my current city and am moving out of state in a couple of months. I’ll definitely be looking for some mom friends in MN, so let me know if that might be you! I’m up for romcoms and wine!

16. Practice Yoga

I’m terrible at yoga – I get bored. But, for the 5-10 minutes I last, I feel relaxed. Taking up yoga can be a great stress reliever. Plus, I hear it’s pretty good for your physical health, too! If you find that you enjoy it, yoga can be a great form of self-care. 

17. Watch a Movie of Your Choosing

How often do you get to pick the movie, let alone watch it without interruption? When the tv is on and our kids are awake, it’s typically Puppy Dog Pals or PJ Masks. When my hubby gets home from work and the kids are in bed, he’s binging something like M*A*S*H. Those are not my forms of entertainment. In fact, I’m writing this while he’s watching an episode right now. So, some nights when hubby is working a late shift and the kids are already in bed, I put on a movie that I want to watch, get out my preferred snacks (and don’t have to share!) and watch alone. It’s fantastic. 

18. Take a Long Shower

This is probably my most frequent form of self-care. When my husband has a day off, I take a long, hot shower. I love hot showers. They make me relax physically and mentally – it’s my thinking space – and the steam does wonders for my sinuses. I always feel great after a long shower. 

19. Get in a Good Workout

If you’re lucky, you get a chance to work out without kids joining in. Don’t get me wrong, when I’m doing a living room workout and my little ones try right beside me, it’s adorable. As adorable as it is though, it’s hard to sweat when they keep encroaching on my space. My available floor space shrinks with every new move I make. I’m glad that they like working out with me, but sometimes I want an hour to really get my heart pumping. 

20. Eat Some Ice Cream

Eat ice cream and don’t feel bad about it. It’s that simple. Yes, you might go over your calories for the day. Yes, you might not lose the ounces you wanted to on this particular day. You know what? Who cares!? A rare day of indulgence isn’t going to completely ruin your diet. So, eat the ice cream, Mama. You deserve it. 

21. Play with Puppies: One of the Best Self-Care Ideas for Moms

How cute are puppies! Mine are no longer puppies anymore, and although I love them, getting away from them is like getting a break from my kids some days. But, playing with someone else’s or shelter puppies (that are actually puppies) can be fun! You might walk away wanting another dog, but hey…they make you happy!

22. Spend Time Gardening

I recently tried my hand at gardening. When the time came to pull up my carrots, I was sorely disappointed at the tiny little stubs I ended up with. It’s funny, but not what I was expecting. Nonetheless, the several hours I spent in the garden during those few months gave me time away from my regular duties. It was refreshing!

23. Light a Candle

Candles! I loooove candles. Some good music, lights off, and a lit candle can totally change my mood. My almost-4 year old has become a fan, too. He often asks if we can turn off the lights and light a candle. Plus, they smell good! I’ve heard things about certain kinds of candles causing respiratory problems, though, so we’ve switched to the organic kind just recently. I don’t know if there’s any truth to that, but the soy candles we’ve bought recently are wonderful!

24. Meditate

Meditation is a great way to do a little self-care. My mind is a wanderer, apparently – I do it while praying, too – so it takes a lot of practice for me to get in the headspace to meditate, but it can truly help! If you make time for regular meditation, you will probably see great results!

25. Read Your Bible

This one is HUGE for me. I spend at least half an hour in the Word every single day. Since making this change, my days are so much better! It’s a part of my day that I look forward to and 30 minutes where my mind and self are just calm. I highly recommend it. 

26. Journal

I’m personally not one for journaling because I never know what to write without a prompt! If you’re the kind of person that can just let it out and words fall on the page, go for it! It’s supposedly a great way to get your feelings worked out and expressed in a healthy way. 

*This post may have affiliate links, of which I may earn a commission at no aditional cost to you.

27. Go for a Drive

Before I had lots of responsibilities, my friends and I would just drive. Of course, this was back in high school when I worked a lot and had very few bills, so gas wasn’t a big concern in my little Cavalier. Turn up the music, pick a direction, and go. It’s a great destresser! 

28. Have a Glass of Wine

I miss wine. Of course, the little human I’m growing is worth the lack I’m experiencing right now. For me, a dark, dry red is the way to go after a stressful day. I can put my feet up, swirl my glass, and have an enjoyable and kicked back evening. This is definitely at the top of my (non-pregnant) self-care ideas for moms list!

29. Bake

As long as someone else cleans, baking can be so great for self-care. Not only do you get the time to yourself to create something yummy, but you then get to eat something yummy! I’ll never turn down a freshly baked apple pie a la mode, so if you’re baking, let me know!

30. Listen to a Podcast

Podcasts are soooo goood. I can put in my headphones and let my kids do their own thing for half an hour while I listen to the latest and greatest thoughts of my favorite podcast hosts. It’s like a little vacation in the middle of the day. I tend to listen to podcasts while I’m cooking dinner. It lets me get out of my headspace for a while and I get to learn something new, too!

Why Do Moms Deserve Self-Care?

Moms spend so much time taking care of other people that there is limited time to take care of themselves. I know – I am one. From the moment I wake up until the moment I close my eyes, my thoughts are on someone else. I’ve got to change diapers, feed little people (and hubby), make sure they have clothes to wear, take care of the dogs, give everyone a clean home to live in, and teach them how to function as caring human beings. Moms don’t have an easy job. Moms have a necessary and rewarding job! That doesn’t mean that this unpaid position requires mamas to give up her own identity. Care for yourself, Mama, and you might find that you can care for others even better.

Why is Self-Care Important?

Self-care is so important because we have to take care of ourselves in order to be our best. Can we truly be as great as we are meant to be if we are not giving our minds a break or our bodies a moment to be rejuvenated? We have to practice self-care in order to present our best selves to others. 

Is Self-Care During COVID Different?

Depending on your role, COVID might make your self-care more possible or less present. For moms with kids in school, it is unlikely that you have more time to take care of yourself when you have to spend your evenings helping your children through their school work more than usual. For those moms, self-care during COVID might mean selecting practices that can be completed in 20 minutes rather than an hour. For the mom that has found herself with a lot more time to practice self-care as a result of COVID, you might feel the stress of a loss in pay. With a stressful situation, self-care is still hugely important to mental health. 

Free Self-Care for Busy Moms Printable

It can be hard to remember good ways to practice self-care as a busy mama, so I’ve created a FREE printable for you to have. Simply put your email in the box below and you’ll receive the download link for FREE within minutes. Be sure to check your spam folder!