5 Pillars of Self-Care for Busy Moms

This post is about 5 pillars of self-care for busy moms. All opinions are my own. This post may contain affiliate links. I may make a small commission, at no additional cost to you, should you make a purchase. Read more in my Privacy Policy.

This post may contain affiliate links. I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you, should you make a purchase. Learn more by reading my Privacy Policy.

Being a mother is a beautiful journey filled with love, joy, and fulfillment. But let’s be real. It’s also filled with snot, vomit, and poop.

As moms, the whirlwind of family responsibilities is endless. If you’re like me, you give your entire self to ensuring that your family eats, sleeps, gets to activities on time, etc. You know. You’re a mom. You’re pure magic. Being magical fills my soul as much as it sucks the life out of me.

We want to be the best versions of ourselves for our kids. Ironically, the same tiny humans who took us away from ourselves should be the motivation to take better care of ourselves.Carving out time for self-care not only benefits your well-being but also has a profound impact on your ability to be the best mom you can be.

Practicing self-care is not a luxury; it’s a necessity for maintaining physical, emotional, and mental well-being. By prioritizing self-care, moms can recharge, refuel, and become better equipped to handle the demands of motherhood.

There are 5 pillars of self-care for busy moms. Let’s talk about what you need to do to care for you.

Being surrounded by chaos, flying toys, and sibling squabbles is exhausting, mentally and physically. When you become a mom, you need to learn how to care for your baby, but you also need to learn how to care for yourself.

Add another kid or two (or three) and you’ve got a recipe for complete chaos. Putting my family’s needs ahead of my own seems instinctively right.

I struggle with filling my cup so I can be a better mom to my kids. I was terrible at self-care when they were very young. Now that they’re older, I’m a little better at it, and learning more every day.

Where to Start: Pillar 1

The first of the 5 pillars of self-car for busy moms is to start. Practicing self-care looks different for everyone. Start by thinking about what’s important to you. What are your needs?

Make a list of the things you enjoyed doing before the tiny humans entered your life. Maybe you love to read or ride your bike. Maybe you relished a spa day or hanging out with your friends.

I read all the time before I was a mom. Then four back-to-back pregnancies and 4 kids under age five meant the only books I was reading were Goodnight Moon and anything written by Eric Carle.

Getting out of the house alone without the little chaos kingdom in tow wasn’t realistic. So for me, getting up earlier than my kids, allowed me to carve out a little “me-time.”

I drank my coffee hot, walked outside or on my treadmill, read, and sometimes, just relished the silence.

Someone once suggested escaping to the bathroom for a few minutes of quiet time and imagining a tropical vacation. This can’t be real. Does this person even have kids?

If you actually have kids, you know that they’ll find you and bang on the door like a hurricane pounding the shores of that tropical island you’re imagining. And is the sound of the toilet flushing going to transport me to a waterfall on an island?

I think not. I’ll just get up a half hour early, drink my coffee in silence, and read a few pages of the latest bestseller.

Start Small: Pillar 2

The second of the 5 pillars of self-care for moms is to start small. Set attainable goals. Self-care doesn’t just happen, You need to prioritize your needs so you can be your best self. Start by having a conversation with your significant other, family members, or friends. Find out who is willing to help and when. Be realistic about how much time you can spend doing something just for you.

Like most moms, I’m hands-on. These hands hold my babies and prepare their food. These hands also wipe poop and pick up Legos all day.

If I’m going to be looking down at my hands all day while they wipe poop, they might as well look good. My husband handled the kids. I got my nails done regularly.

Maintaining friendships gets harder when you have kids. Meeting your college friends for happy hour doesn’t always align with your baby’s schedule!

Connecting with other adults is a meaningful way to take care of yourself. Call your mom friends to come for coffee. If you’re isolated, find and join a mom group in your town.

I joined a local Mommy and Me class when Kissy and Nugget were tiny. If you’ve been following along, you know we got kicked out.

Before being evicted, I met a wonderful and genius group of women. They established a playgroup and invited me to join with my still-growing chaos kingdom.

These brilliant women had rules and boundaries established for their playgroup. We met once a week. The kids played. We drank coffee and chatted and bonded over shared experiences.

Finding time to schedule self-care needn’t be as grand as booking a spa weekend. Good for you if you can. For most of us, starting small is a realistic way of prioritizing our needs.

Some life-long friendships were born from that playgroup. Although we had our kids in tow, it gave us a steady, scheduled time to nurture friendships and practice self-care. While our kids were socializing and playing, we were tending to our need to feel connected and validated in our roles as moms.

Sleep: Pillar 3

The third of the 5 pillars of self-care is sleep. We all know the benefits of getting proper sleep. I have yet to figure out how to get eight hours of sleep a night. If you do, drop a comment below and tell us how it’s done.

I run on a steady stream of coffee, caffeine, and chaos. If I have coffee, I’m happy. If someone brings me coffee, I’m ecstatic.

I stay up way past late watching Netflix or reading. That is the only time my house is quiet. I sacrifice sleep for quiet time. I know I’m not alone. I’m a work in progress..

Exercise: Pillar 4

The fourth of the 5 pillars of self-care for moms is exercise. Exercise is important for our bodies and our minds. If you’re chasing a toddler around, you’re probably getting some exercise.

After I had my kids, I gained a lot of weight. I didn’t feel good about myself.

Back-to-back pregnancies and lousy eating habits had me so out of shape. I knew I needed to make time for myself to get healthy.

I went to the gym at 5:00 a.m. for years to get in a workout before my kids woke up. My husband was home with the kids.

I lost weight and got stronger.

I still struggle with weight. It’s my biggest self-care challenge.

These days, I do yoga regularly. It’s peaceful. Now when being a mom stresses me out, I just stand in a warrior pose, and my kids take that as their cue to go elsewhere.

It’s important to get some physical activity in. If you can’t get out of the house to get exercise, getting in a quick at-home workout has never been easier. There are tons of apps and YouTube videos available.

When I can’t get to yoga, I do some yoga with the tiny humans I work with. They love it and I get in a good stretch.

If all else fails, put some music on and have a dance party with your kids. I always danced with my kids. I dance every day with the tiny humans I work with. It’s a guaranteed feel-good activity. You might look stupid, but your kids won’t care and unless you record and post it, no one has to know that you dance like Elaine on Seinfeld (Google it. It’s streaming somewhere).

Fill Your Cup: Pillar 5

The last of the 5 pillars of self-care is filling your cup. Being a mom is undoubtedly one of the most rewarding experiences, but it’s essential to remember that taking care of oneself is equally vital. By incorporating some self-care practices into your daily routines, you can boost your physical and mental well-being.

Your kids are watching you. They’re learning how to prioritize themselves from you. So, embrace self-care and make it a non-negotiable priority in your life.

“You can’t pour from an empty cup,” so make sure your cup is full of whatever brings you peace and joy, so you can be the best mom you can be and enjoy being a mom.

Sometimes filling your cup means a little indulgence for you. With the holidays over, and mom burnout a true possibility, why not treat yourself to a little something special? Click HERE to see Oprah’s Favorite Things 2023.

Drop a comment below to share your best self-care tips. We’d love to hear from you!

Related article: The Maze of Motherhood: Navigating the Journey Back to Me.