Becoming a mom can make you think about the bigger picture, and often that involves taking a closer look at your health and wellness. It’s important, especially as women and caregivers, to prioritize self care. While sometimes it might be easier to put your needs aside, you deserve to lead a life that makes you feel your best both mentally and physically.
Creating a well-rounded practice of health is one of the best ways to make sure all your needs are met. While you don’t have to do everything right away, making a few intentional choices about your health can help you show the best support possible for your family and yourself.
Cut the Fad Diets
Not only are fad diets all-consuming and impractical, but they also don’t usually work. Trying to lose weight quickly by depriving yourself of necessary nutrition isn’t good for your physical health, and can easily make you upset and irritable. Eating bland and disappointing food while you watch your family eat a delicious, satiating meal is likely to cause disconnect and disappointment with your own plate.
Instead of fad dieting or crash dieting, eating a balanced diet that doesn’t promise quick results but makes you feel satiated and energized is a much better option for your long-term health.
Get on a Regular Sleep Schedule
Just like your kids, you need rest to survive. Getting on a regular sleep schedule where you go to bed and wake up at around the same time each day can help you stick to your commitment of getting your full eight hours every night. Starting the routine is often the most difficult part. However, once you get in the groove, a regular sleep schedule can help the whole household function smoother while making sure your needs are met.
Plan for the Future
Part of being a mom is being responsible and preparing for all possibilities. Habits like investing, saving for retirement and getting life insurance are all ways that you can plan for the future. Looking into a life insurance policy with riders can help you tailor your investment to you and your family to help you meet your needs. While thinking about the future can sometimes be scary, taking control in little ways can help bring you confidence and peace of mind.
Start Journaling
Journaling can be whatever you make it, which is one of the reasons why it’s so useful to so many people. A regular journaling practice can be as simple as writing one sentence about your feelings or the events of the day, though you can pour over pages if that’s what you feel called to do. Journaling can help you manage your emotions, increase positivity and reduce stress.
From gratitude journaling to bullet journaling, there’s no wrong way to do it. It’s as simple as grabbing a pen and getting started.
Drink More Water
This one is simple, but it can make a world of difference. Most experts recommend drinking around eight cups of water each day. Drinking enough water can help clear your skin, make you feel more energized and even help with weight loss.
Water is a crucial part of health. With a task so easy yet so beneficial, why wouldn’t you want to pour yourself a little more each day?
Practice Mindfulness
Mindfulness is the act of being fully present and intentional about everything you experience. It’s all about living in the moment. While it may sound simple enough, implementing a regular practice of mindfulness can improve your mood, productivity and overall calmness. It’s not an extra task on your schedule, nor is it a complete overhaul of your thoughts and actions. Mindfulness simply reminds you to be in the moment and enjoy the things around you.
Take Your Skincare Seriously
While you don’t have to break the bank by investing in fancy products and services, paying closer attention to the health of your skin is important. Your skin is the largest organ on your body, and you should treat it with the care it deserves. Learning more about your skin type and finding products that work for you can help you pay better attention to the health of your skin.
One universal tip that can apply to everyone is to always wear sunscreen or SPF. You, your kids and everyone else you know should be wearing SPF daily to protect against sun damage and skin cancer, especially if you spend a lot of time exposed to the sun.
Find a Workout You Truly Love
So many people have a love/hate relationship with exercise, especially when trying to fit in a workout into an already-busy mom schedule. Finding a workout you love can help you feel more motivated to get moving, and feel happier doing it. Sometimes finding a workout you love is a journey of trying new things and finding some duds, but there’s something out there for everyone.
Prioritizing your own health as a mom can sometimes be harder than it sounds, but it’s important to remember to care for yourself just like you care for others. When your health flourishes, you have the potential to be the best version of yourself for you and everyone around you.
