Self Care // More important than ever

self care

It’s important to make time for yourself to ensure your mental and physical health stay on track. However, creating a well-balanced life can be hard when you have to start prioritizing yourself, and as a parent, it can feel overwhelming to get it right. Sometimes, self-care can feel a bit selfish. However, it is the complete opposite as not taking care of yourself can be selfish as not making time for your own sanity can greatly impact those around you in a negative way.

If you struggle to find time for yourself then keep reading for a guide on how any busy parent can implement self-care into their daily routine:

Update Your Routine

Even though you might love to get started on your self-care journey, you might need to make some simple changes to your daily routine. It can be difficult to implement a self-care routine when you don’t have much structure in your day-to-day. Creating or even bettering your already established routines can help create positive daily habits, and as busy parents, it can be hard to find a moment to yourself.

Start by creating a to-do list of all the tasks you want to accomplish throughout the day. This will give you more structure and control, while also allowing you to organize yourself. Fine-tuning your routine will influence your mental health, and give you a chance to improve your overall quality of life. Updating your routine will also help remind yourself that you deserve some time to relax alone!

Fuel Your Body

As a parent you want your child to develop healthy habits, however, it’s crucial that you practice what you preach. A balanced diet is extremely important to establishing healthy habits, while also giving your body enough nutrients to stay active and strong. As a parent, it can be a struggle to feed your body well, especially when your diet consists of sandwich crust that your child has left behind. Take a step back and look at your daily eating habits to help you learn what needs to be changed.

Some simple steps to help clean up your eating habits can be trying to lessen the number of processed foods you buy at the supermarket or reducing the number of times you eat out in a week. Focusing on more homemade dinners will give you a better understanding of what you are putting into your body. If you struggle with cooking then consider purchasing a cookbook that experiments with different recipes or covers the foods you love.

Get Up And Start Moving

Although exercising might seem like anything but relaxing, moving your body regularly can have a multitude of positive effects on your self-esteem and mental health. Sticking to a self-care routine can be difficult, and if you’re dreading your daily workout then find something that gets you excited to get moving. Whether that be going on a daily walk or practicing yoga, regardless if you stick to one type of exercise or try something new every day, what is important is that you incorporate movement into your day.

 running

If you struggle with staying active, especially after a long day of parenting then consider purchasing a Fitbit to help you keep track of your daily movement. This will also give you an opportunity to keep yourself accountable and monitor your progress. Exercise also releases endorphins that will leave you feeling happier and healthier!

Do Things For You

Often the most difficult part of starting and staying on your self-care journey is putting yourself first. It can seem daunting to find hobbies and activities you enjoy when you have spent the majority of your time putting your child first. However, me-time is extremely vital to taking care of and improving your mental and physical health. What are some hobbies you enjoy? Are there things you still want to try like cooking or painting? Use your me-time to explore these hobbies. There are various online classes you can take to expand your interest while practicing social distance.

Taking baths or focusing on your grooming routines, like your beard or skincare routine, might seem silly but can have an extremely positive effect on your mental state. Grooming influences your appearance which can play a major role in improving your self-confidence. When you take the time each morning to prepare yourself for the day, your whole outlook will change for the better. If you struggle with insecurities, like thinning hair, then take it on with hair loss treatments like Finasteride that treat male pattern baldness, while slowing down hair loss. Insecurities are a part of life, however, they should never make a dent in your self-care journey.

self care

If you feel good on the inside, it will translate on the outside. Self-care and mental health are strongly connected, so it’s essential to do things that bring you joy. Parental stress can often cause burn out which leads to you feeling worthless or low energy, which is why giving yourself breaks throughout the week to help relieve stress and recenter yourself is important. Investing time in yourself will always benefit you and your family life in the long run!

 

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