6 Important Ways I Practice Self-Care as a Stay At Home Mom

This post is very different from the usual home decor content I post but I’ve been thinking about self-care a lot lately. My youngest is still not sleeping through the night and most days I run on autopilot, doing all the mom things and counting down the hours to bedtime. Once bedtime rolls around, I fall into the “revenge procrastination” trap before getting a few hours of sleep. Before I know it, it’s morning again and the whole routine starts again. The last 6 months I’ve realized this is not the healthiest way to live!

To counteract all of the above, I made some changes and so here are 6 important ways I practice self-care. These are all very personal and some of them may not be helpful or practical for you. I hope, however, that this post encourages you to do a self-care self-checkup and see where you are and what you need to feel better about you and your life.

1. Weekly therapy sessions

I cannot stress enough how important therapy has been to me and my mindset. That one hour, once a week has allowed me to rediscover myself, find my voice again, and ask for what I need. It’s forcing me to constantly re-evaluate my choices and to live in the now vs. just existing and letting life happen to me. Does that make sense? Asking for what you need is so important because your partner cannot read your mind but it is something that takes practice. As a mom, especially, it’s so easy to put yourself last but that doesn’t lead anywhere good, in my experience. I would rather be a well balanced, happy mom, wife and woman vs. an overtired and grumpy one.

2. Getting creative

This is probably number one on my list of things that get dropped when I get busy and stressed… and it is also the number one thing that brings me back to myself.  Writing this blog, creating art for my Etsy shop, making mood boards for clients and/or posting home decor product round ups to my LTK shop. If I’m not creative on a regular basis, I am unhappy. I think it’s so important to find that one thing that allows you to express yourself!

3. Getting outside alone

When I’m out of the house, I’m usually on a purpose-driven mission for eg. to the grocery store or school pickups or drop offs to activities. But when I am mindful about leaving the house with the sole purpose of getting some fresh air and “me” time, it makes everything feel less overwhelming. Sometimes, all I’ll do is go wander around Target with a Starbucks drink in my hand like the basic elder millennial I am hah. This time also allows me to reflect on my day and any issues that come up that have been bothering me. This act will be a priority for me in 2023.

4. Manicures at the salon and at-home skin care routines

This is crucial for me and how I feel about myself on the outside. Getting manicures every 2-3 weeks is a very sacred ritual for me and it is something I’ve carved into our budget. This came about after seeing how dedicated my husband is to his activities. He plays soccer four times a week and it is absolutely an important activity to him to unwind and release stress. I know there is privilege in being able to say I can indulge in manicures regularly and I am very grateful that we can afford it in this time of our lives. As for skin care, I squeeze this in whenever I have 10 minutes alone. I’ll put on a favourite mask and just sit in silence in the bathroom lol. It helps!

5. Checking in with friends and family

Everyone is busy, right? Thank God then for low pressure, on-the-go communication like texting/WhatsApp/DMs because I’d be so lost without my crew of close friends! I check in with at least one of them at least once a day and with the best of them, several times a day. We chat about everything from the funniest TikTok’s we’ve seen to the new home decor I’ve been eyeing to how they’re doing and how their day is going. It is such a mood booster! Also. My parents. We FaceTime once a day usually, and it just helps to see their faces and hear their voices even if all we’re doing is talking about the weather in our respective countries. If you’re lucky enough to have people you are close to in your lives, keep them close!

6. Connecting with my husband

Marriage is hard work. I know, it sounds so unromantic to say that but it is the God’s honest truth. There will always be ups and downs but I think what matters is that both people involved stay connected through it all. Small conversations over DM while he’s at work and I manage life at home, very low key date nights every weekend (we usually just watch a movie or a show together and eat our favourite snacks in peace once the kids are asleep!), and sometimes it is about making the time to have the harder, more focused conversations. This is a learned skill set, for me, and it doesn’t always happen but it is so important for my mental health. All of it matters and all of it helps. My love language is acts of service and it brings me a lot of peace and a sense of connection when I do little things for my husband like making a favourite meal to share or folding all of the laundry (we usually share this job because 3 kids lol so this is a big one when one person takes care of it all!). It’s the small things that add up, right?

And that’s how I practice self-care. These help me keep my sanity intact and my strength up! What about you?

Until next time when I’ll be back with a home decor post,