Taking time for self-care is essential to your overall well-being, but it can feel like an unnecessary luxury or even a distant dream when your days are busy bringing up children. Rather than risking unhealthiness or unhappiness, here are some straightforward ways you can integrate time for yourself into family routine. You deserve it – and you cannot pour from an empty cup.
1. Develop Daily Habits That Stick
Small changes can have a big impact, so rather than trying to overhaul everything, focus on integrating simple self-care into your existing routine. A ten-minute pre-sleep meditation, short breathing exercise every morning, or a daily walk can all make a big difference in helping you maintain equilibrium, without disrupting the fine balance of family life.
Habit stacking is a great way to keep yourself accountable and to make new habits stick quicker. This method involves attaching new habits to existing ones, so they soon seem second-nature. For example, sit for five minutes without screens after your morning coffee, or do stretches while waiting for your tea to brew.
2. Incorporate Healthy Meal Prep
When you’re rushing between work, school, and leisure activities, it’s easy to let convenience food become king. However, these quick fixes can negatively influence your well-being if relied upon too often. Too much sugar can cause weight gain, food cravings, mood swings, and poor sleep, and crashes after significant blood sugar spikes will leave you anxious or sluggish.
Setting aside time to prepare healthy meals and snacks for the week ahead means you’ll have nutritious options to hand when you need them in a hurry. You can get the children involved with selecting recipes and doing age-appropriate tasks in the kitchen, which will help to get them excited about what they’re eating. There are plenty of healthy meal prep recipes available online, so you’re sure to find cost-effective options everyone will enjoy.
3. Fit Fitness into Family Routine
Juggling regular exercise alongside being a parent can feel impossible, but it’s essential to your physical wellbeing and has knock-on benefits for your mental health too*. Any amount of time is good for you, so start off with a few minutes at a time and take it from there. Carrying heavy shopping home counts as strength exercise, and walking an extra 15 minutes a day is cardio!
Working from home? Try walking and talking using an under-desk walking pad, or take casual work calls outside. Yoga is a great way to loosen stiff muscles and unwind your wind in the middle of the day, and you can find free guided classes online. If you’re navigating a daily commute, try to ditch the car or park further from your office, and take the stairs instead of using the lift when possible.
4. Seek Support When You Need It
Lastly, but most importantly, remember that you’re not alone. If you’re struggling to stay on top of your physical or mental health, you can get support to help you regain control. For example, a course of weight loss injections can help you establish healthy eating and exercise habits, or speaking to a CBT therapist can give you the tools to manage problems or negative emotions more effectively.
As well as getting professional support from the likes of GPs, specialists, and dedicated groups, reaching out to friends and family will help ease the burden. Whether it’s organising more help with childcare or just having the chance to express how you’re feeling, leaning on your loved ones in good times and bad is a wonderful gesture of self-love.
*Disclaimer: The information provided in this post is not intended as medical advice and should not be used to diagnose, treat, or manage health conditions. Always consult a registered healthcare professional before starting any medication or weight-management treatment. External links are provided for informational purposes only, and I do not endorse or guarantee any medical service.
0 comments