fbpx
self care ideas for busy parents

5 Easy Self Care Ideas for Busy Parents

The perfect parent doesn’t exist. Okay, I’ve said it and we might need a billboard for it. Each of us that have raised children did our best - and that is the long and short of it. Again, the perfect person doesn’t exist, so let’s all breathe and put our energy in positive avenues. To those raising kids now, you need to hear this: You’re an excellent parent. You're doing your very best in taking care of your child. But, how are you doing? It's too easy while parenting to forget to take care of ourselves. Self-care somehow always seems to be on the bottom of the list, somewhere after laundry and running errands. Time for ourselves becomes something of a joke. The suggestions in this article will help change that. 

There are things even a busy parent can do in order to practice self-care. Consider these things:
parent and child

Image by Daniela Dimitrova from Pixabay

Take Five Minutes to Breathe 

Are you giving me side-eye while asking who has time to breathe? My friend, you do. 


Stopping in your tracks for a few deep breaths is an incredibly calming experience. This is especially useful when your day has been extraordinarily stressful. Even a few minutes of deep breaths can do wonders to improve your mood. This is a wonderful technique to teach the kids, too. We’ve found that getting my two-year-old granddaughter to take deep breaths helps when she’s out of sorts.


 Nature’s Bounty 

Many studies have been done to prove just how much nature matters. Green spaces have a way of recharging us, which positively affects our cognition, our stress levels, and even our physical health. With this in mind, try to get outside when you can. If you can't, consider creating an indoor garden to enjoy year-round.

relax in nature

Image by Ame Stanko from Pixabay

Read 

It might seem laughable for a parent to have time to read a book. You'd be amazed at how quickly you can get through a story by reading a page here and there whenever you have a free moment. Reading engages the mind and gives you a much-needed respite. For bonus points, join a book club. Talking about something you've read with other adults is some of the best self-care there is. 


Create an Oasis

 We all need a space apart which belongs entirely to us. This can be hard when you're a parent. Try to carve out a cozy nook somewhere which is entirely yours. Maintain the space with knickknacks and delights of your choosing. No toys or children's paraphernalia allowed. 


 Alone Time 

Grab a few minutes for yourself while the children are napping or at school. Use this for an indulgence designed just to pamper you. Enjoy a bubble bath. Visit a friend. If your children are young, consider hiring a sitter. Even if you stay at home, having someone else watch the kids so you can have a few minutes to yourself will do wonders for your mood.

family

Image by miltonhuallpa95 from Pixabay

Whatever you do, the point is to take time for yourself in a way which helps you to recharge. This is crucial, as your children really need a relaxed parent who is ready to take up the challenges of child rearing again. 


 Share/Comment & Subscribe

 I hope you enjoyed this article. Please leave a comment or share it to help someone else through their journey with change. Is it time for you to pivot? Change can be difficult, but you don't have to walk that path alone. Subscribe to my newsletter to get inspired and take action towards becoming a better you.

Author

  • Angel Lewis

    Hello there! I'm Angel, an entrepreneur and writer who grew up in rural North Carolina and now resides in Virginia. My love for writing began during my time at Guilford College in Greensboro, NC. Over the past couple of years, I've authored two nonfiction books in the personal development genre. Along with writing for adults, I also created 'Ready. Set. Fly!', a children's book that inspires self-confidence and resilience. When I'm not writing, I enjoy gardening, reading, playing games, and spending time with those closest to me.

Please follow and like us:

6 thoughts on “5 Easy Self Care Ideas for Busy Parents

  1. Wonderful insight, Angel! It really is important to take the time for self care. It’s one of the reasons flight attendants tell us to secure our air in an emergency before helping others – if we don’t take care of ourselves first, we may not be able to help others, including our children!

    These are all great self care strategies. One of my favorite stress releases is getting out for a hike in nature. I’ve also just joined a book club, so it was neat to see that idea listed here, too!

  2. Although I am not yet a parent I do understand the importance of self care and I can see why it is difficult to practice self care when you are one. These are simple yet great advices for parents!

  3. I did an article myself on how important green spaces are for our wellbeing, so it’s really cool to see green spaces mentioned on your list as well. Any green spaces can be benefit your wellbeing. Great tips

  4. Really great suggestions for easy self-care for busy parents. I think no matter what – self-care is so important. I always love reading and find it to be such a mental health booster and great for self-care. Thank you for sharing!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.