Parenthood is a journey filled with love, joy, and fulfillment but it can also be incredibly demanding. It’s okay to love being a parent while also recognizing that it can sometimes feel impossible.
The second you become a parent, it might seem like your child should be your priority — and while that is true to an extent, your own self-care is just as vital. In truth, taking care of yourself can be even more important in some cases as it enables you to show up in the best way for your kids.
In this article, we’ll discuss practical tips to help you prioritize self-care and learn to find balance as a parent.
1. Get some rest
This is one piece of advice that we can’t stress enough — get some sleep. If you’ve ever had those days where it feels like nothing is going your way and you’ve just about hit your limit, it’s likely that you just need a little shut-eye.
Most things tend to seem worse than they truly are when you are running on little sleep. There is a reason people say sleep is the best medicine. You need rest for your body and your mind to function and heal itself.
Not only that, but a lack of sleep can also start to impact your appearance. Your skin especially can start to age faster and those dark circles will get worse if you don’t prioritize rest.
There are other things you can do, of course, to fix those dark circles, such as eating a more balanced diet, massaging the eye area, or investing in beauty treatments. However, aiming for eight hours of sleep a night is often the best solution.
If you want to freshen your appearance and have the energy and mental bandwidth you need to tackle your everyday responsibilities, you must start prioritizing sleep. If you have little ones, this might mean sneaking in naps whenever you can, such as when they are napping.
If it comes down to getting more sleep or tackling a to-do list, always prioritize the sleep if you didn’t get enough the night before.
2. Move your body
Regular exercise is another one of those vital self-care needs that can seem elusive to parents, especially new parents. But just as sleep is critical, so is physical activity. Staying fit as a parent is not only important for your own health, but it also helps you maintain the strength and energy to keep up with your kids.
Furthermore, regular exercise can also help boost your mental health and release more of those happy brain chemicals that keep you feeling good and better able to handle your busy schedule. If your chaotic schedule seems to be getting in the way of finding time to move, consider these busy parent exercise tips:
- Exercise at work: If you’ve got a job where you mostly sit all day and you don’t have time to go to the gym, try to find ways to get up and move your body at the office. Take little breaks when you can and go up and down the stairs, stretch in your office or cubicle, do some push-ups, or go for a walk on your lunch break.
- Workout with your kids: Making your kids your workout buddies is a great way to get exercise while also fitting in some quality family time. This can also teach your kids how to develop their own healthy habits. You can look into family-friendly workout classes, teach your kids yoga in the living room, or take them with you for a run or a bike ride in the park.
- Get up a few minutes earlier: Sleep should be a priority, but if you feel you are getting enough, then consider waking up just 20 to 30 minutes earlier than usual to squeeze in a workout before you have to attend to your kids’ needs. There are lots of great videos on YouTube, for example, that help you squeeze in a quick workout that gets your heart rate pumping in just a few minutes.
3. Learn to say “No”
One of the best things you can do for yourself to help you better prioritize your responsibilities as a parent with self-care is to learn to say no and set better boundaries. We get it, it’s hard to say no, especially to your kids, but it’s also important for your kids to learn to respect other people’s time and boundaries.
When you do set those boundaries, listen to your mind and your body and give it what it needs. Maybe that’s some nutritious food, a nap, or some quiet meditation time. Or you could use your personal time to focus on doing the hobbies you love, such as reading, making art, dancing to some music, or indulging in a beauty and wellness routine.
You are not a bad parent just because you set a boundary so you can make some time to take care of your own needs. In fact, understanding that your own self-care is important can make you a better parent as it can help you show up refreshed and energized when it is time to focus on your kids.
4. Grow your support system
If you are still struggling to find time to do any of the above, remember that it takes a village to raise a family. In other words, if you aren’t finding the time you need to take care of yourself then you might need to grow your support system.
Just as it’s okay to say no, it’s also okay to ask for help. Sure, someone could say no themselves, but that’s the worst they could do, and that’s okay. But you won’t know who is willing to help support you if you never ask.
This includes friends, other family members, your own partner, and even neighbors. If you are feeling overwhelmed and need just a little time to yourself or a little assistance so you can tackle the things you need to get done, it’s okay to ask someone if they could lend a helping hand.
Wrapping up
At the end of the day, if you still feel like something is weighing you down, it might be time to seek professional support. Prioritizing your mental health is self-care and it’s perhaps the most important thing you can do as a parent.
If you truly want to show up in the best way possible for your family, then you have to show up for yourself, too. A mental health professional who specializes in helping families will be able to offer you more personalized advice to help you heal so you can get back to finding joy in your life and in parenthood.
Charlie Fletcher is a freelance writer from the lovely “city of trees”- Boise, Idaho. Her love of writing pairs with her passion for social activism and search for the truth. You can find more of her writing on her Contently.