5 Self-Care Strategies for Working Moms

By: Heather Fidler

 The day my first daughter was born, my life forever changed, and I felt I had to start acting like “a mom”, or at least what I thought one was.  I spent so much time soaking up every possible moment with the newest member of our family and listening to all the advice other moms had to offer the “new mom.” The one piece of advice that stuck with me was: You must take care of yourself before you can care for another person.  It makes sense, but then why do I feel so much Mom Guilt.  You know that little voice in your head that brings the focus off of you and your health, back onto your children, and how much their needs outweigh your own.

We as Mom’s must take care of ourselves because the old adage is true!  In order for us to be the best possible moms, empathetic, and patient, we must spend quality time on ourselves, refocusing and decompressing, especially during the current social climate.  I like to think I am a super mom, but with a full-time career, virtual learning, and being the head of household, this mom is tired!

Taking care of your whole self will help you be the best parent you can be.  Although we feel there is never enough time in the day, we must be intentional and carve out some regular “me time”.

Here are a few strategies that you can try, see what works for you.

1. Meditation, Yoga, Guided Imagery – something as simple as 5 minutes can provide a good mental reset. There are so many apps and other resources available to give you a mental escape.  I like to play Native American Flute on my Alexa and use the breathing feature on my Apple Watch, 2 minutes, and I feel so much more relaxed.

2. Spending time in nature – mother nature has a way of reconnecting us with the Earth and centering us. A cup of coffee on the front porch in the morning, listening to the sounds, breathing in the air, or take a walk, hike, or family adventure to complete a hard mental reset.  I love the mountains and water, so my go-to is a river, sitting there watching the water flow, taking away my cares of the day.
3. Engage your senses – take a moment and ask yourself what your 5 senses are experiencing. What do you hear/feel? Can you smell anything? A great way to quickly move from feeling anxious to calm.
4. Spend a little money on yourself – If you have it in your budget, find something that makes you feel good and can be done alone. Every few weeks I get my nails done, and I love that hour to myself so much.  I cannot answer my phone, no one around who needs me, just enjoying someone doting on me for a while.  Get a good massage therapist, those people are miracle workers!!!!
5. Journaling – take a moment and write down things that happened today that were good. They do not have to be huge events, maybe something as simple as the day’s gorgeous weather, but take the time before going to bed to reset your brain, focusing on the positive.  Your rested brain will thank me in the morning.