11 Healthy Self Care Ideas for Busy Mom's

Hi friends!  I am back today with another fun round up for our Summer blogging series.  See our previous posts on time management, mom hacks and how I started blogging.  Thanks again to Arin and Navy for putting this together!  Today, we are talking all about self care.  This has been getting quite the buzz over the past few years, and for good reason!  We are all so busy, it's hard to take even 5 minutes to ourselves anymore.  I feel like I am constantly on information overload with social media, the news, the internet, texts, emails, etc.  How does one find time to sit in peace?!  I wanted to pull together my favorite healthy self care ideas for busy moms specifically.  Aren't all mom's busy though?  Yes, yes they are.

11 Healthy Self Care Ideas for Busy Mom's

feeling a bit more balanced now that I've been focusing more on self care

When I was a new mom, I rarely put the focus on myself.  I was trying to figure out how to be a mom, let alone take time for me!  This has totally changed now that the girls are older.  Since I am a work-from-home mom, alone time can be hard to come by.  I've been focused more on getting healthy overall, and to me that means self care.  Taking care of my body and health through various ways I'll explain below.  Below are 11 self care ideas that are centered around health.

Take Care of Yourself First

Taking care of health issues - I suffer from pretty terrible back pain and when I'm stressed out, it flares up.  I also suffered from Plantar Fasciitis when I was pregnant with McKinlee.  The pain started to return just recently.  In the past, I would have just dealt with it but I decided to do something about it.  I booked an appointment with my amazing Chiropractor who also offer's massage therapy in her office.  I've been going once a week for an adjustment and a massage.  It's pretty much the best thing ever.  If you're in the Portland area, you HAVE to check out Healthy Living Chiropractic.  In just a few sessions, the pain is almost gone.  It took over a year to go away the first time I had it.

This also goes for any other health concerns.  As moms, we usually put ourselves last but if you are having an issue or pain, take the time to look into it!

Eating Healthy - My days usually start off great and then slowly go downhill in the afternoon.  I try to start with one of my favorite smoothies.  Check out my top fave recipes here.  If I can shove as much goodness into my morning smoothie (protein, healthy fats, greens, etc) then at least I am taking care of myself with one meal!  Check out my healthy living essentials that I swear by, here.

Essential Oils - I get all of my oils and information from my friend Sarah.  I truly feel like they've made a difference in my life.  I use their vitamins, omegas, and a few other supplements besides the oils and they've worked great!  One of my favorite things to do is simply diffuse lavender at night by my bed.  Diffusing them causes me to have my mood lifted or relax at night, and to me this is all self care!

when you can't have a field of fresh lavender to relax, turn to essential oils 

Girlfriend Time - Luckily Ryan is all for me going out with the girls every now and then.  It's so great to get away with your best friends and laugh too hard.  There have been several studies I've seen lately that going out with your friends helps you stay healthy!  This has to be attributed to all the laughing.  We also try to take at least one girls trip each year.  Even if it's just 48 hours away, it's so worth it for my mental health!

Saying No - I used to be a yes girl.  I'd go to every event, party, and get together.  Now, I'm picky on where I spend my time.  This helps with my overall stress level.  I don't like being busy, and I need some down time!

Staying Active - I know I've said it before, but working out to me is definitely a form of self care.  I workout at a local boutique fitness studio, and I love the variety of the workouts.  Luckily, they also have childcare so I can get in some me time as well.  Working out at least 4 times per week keeps my mood up.  With the Summer being so busy, I've made it a goal to be more active if I can't get to the gym.  This could be standing more or walking instead of driving.  I wear my Apple watch which helps me stay on track.

Deep Breathing - Speaking of an Apple watch, you know the "breathe" reminder you get every once in a while during the day?  I know it might seem ridiculous, but if you take the minute to sit and breathe it can really go along way in terms of self care.  It really helps turn off outside noise and stress.  Maybe 1 minute will turn into 2 or 3!

Getting Enough Sleep - I'm all about small goals, so I've been trying to go to bed even just 15 minutes earlier.  I can't function on less than 7 hours of sleep, so it's pretty much a non-negotiable for me!

Treat Yo Self - Whatever this is, maybe a coffee, a face mask, or a chocolate truffle, take time to treat yourself to something that makes you happy!  It could even be a stroll around Target if you can get your spouse to take your kids for an hour.

Find a Hobby - For me, I love gardening and it's one of my favorite hobbies.  It's relaxing to me, and I love watching my garden grow.

I love spending some me time in my garden

Get Help - I've luckily hired a few babysitters this Summer mainly so that I can get work done, but I also fit in some self care time.  Try to find a neighborhood teenager or college student for when you need to run errands by yourself or take some time to get a massage (or whatever makes you feel good!).  It's SO worth it!

Hopefully you found some ideas or even just some reiteration to take some time to focus on yourself once in a while!  I'm linking up with nine other ladies who are also sharing their self care tips.  Check out their posts below!

Navy  |  Arin  |  Jen  |  Liz  |  Aryn  |  Nicole  |  Noelle  |  Cait  |  Hannah

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