Mom life. It truly is the greatest blessing but it is exhausting! And what I’ve come to find is, if you don’t prioritize time for yourself, no one is going to do it for you. So that’s why I’m making sure I prioritize my health during this special yet busy season of life.
As moms, there is this stigma called “mom guilt” for taking time for yourself. This is the worst!
Let’s take this off the table because guess who wins out in the long run when us mommas get some “me” time? Everyone! Because when we are feeling good, then we are the best version of ourselves, for our significant others, and our children.
What’s not to love and embrace about that?
As you guys know, I am a stay at home mom with 3 young kids. So I’m going to share with you some tips I found to prioritize my own health in a very busy season of life.
I think it all comes back to creating organized routines to create healthy habits.
Here are my top 5 habits I make time for in my busy schedule to make sure I am feeling my best for myself and my family.
One. Sleep
This is my top way to prioritize my health. Without sleep, everything else is pretty much a wash. You can do all the other health routines but without feeling rested, they aren’t going to help very much.
In my opinion, the best way to prioritize sleep is to have a nightly routine.
Think about our kids, typically kids sleep best with a bath before bed, reading and stories, then lights out. We are not different but we have so many distractions that keep us from winding down at night.
I’ve made it a priority to start winding down around 9 on weeknights. No more screens, TV’s off, and a book in hand, or a nice hot shower or bath. It can be tempting to watch a show, a movie, or scroll through my phone, but I know to be my best, I need to make sure I get quality sleep. So, I’ve been saving my movie nights for Friday or Saturday night.
I love reading my prayer devotionals before bed. The scriptures are so soothing and they literally put me to sleep. I honestly sleep so soundly after I take time to read my prayer books before bed.
There is no doubt I will feel rested the next day after following a relaxing nightly routine.
Scheduled Quiet Time For Little Ones
When you’re a stay at home mom, you have the little ones all day, which doesn’t allow anytime for a break. One day while my mom was visiting she said, “Merrick, do you schedule a quiet time for your kids”? I guess I hadn’t really thought about it. My oldest was too old for daily naps and my other two kiddos sometimes napped, sometimes didn’t.
She suggested scheduling a time everyday to have the kids play independently and quietly in their room, take a rest in their beds, or read books to themselves. While the kids are in their quiet time, I’ll usually go lay on the couch for a few minutes and close my eyes.
Now I have started adding this into our daily schedule and I typically do this after lunch when everyone starts to get a little fussy. It allows all of us a little down time. It’s amazing how much just a little bit of quiet in the middle of a busy days helps me feel more energized.
Daily Movement
I usually get a run in about 4 times a week in the morning but a lot of times my body is not up for more than that. My muscles start feeling super sore and my body starts feeling tired. I try to listen to that, and take daily walks on the days I don’t run.
The relaxation, fresh air, and quiet is always the perfect way to help me feel my best. Getting exercise and daily movement just makes me feel so energized and happy.
To feel your best doesn’t mean you have to do a high-intensity workout everyday. Listen to your body and if you are feeling sore or tired, just take a day to give your body a rest and take a stroll around the neighborhood. It’s a great way to take a break and also get your legs moving.
Limiting Alcohol
I love wine but I have found limiting my alcohol intake really helps me to feel my best. That doesn’t mean I cut alcohol out completely but instead of having 2 or 3 glasses of wine at the end of the day, I typically stick to one.
One of my favorite things is cooking dinner and drinking a glass of wine and then after that I typically don’t have more (especially on weeknights). A glass of wine is a treat I forward to, but one glass doesn’t effect how I will feel the next morning.
This way I can ensure I am going to be able to get up early the next morning for a workout and quiet time and get a quality night’s sleep.
Time in the Word
There are so many mornings, I just want to sleep in a bit more but I never regret when I take the time to get up early and spend time with Jesus. I spend this time praying, reading devotionals, the Bible, or just sit in quiet and close my eyes. This time centers me, grounds me, and brings me so much peace and clarity.
Now that prayer time is apart of my everyday, I literally crave this time. Whether it’s 15 minutes or an hour, I always make sure to spend some time in His word.
Not everyday is the same, and sometimes the morning doesn’t always allow quiet time, but if this is the case, even if I can squeeze in 15 minutes of prayer time helps me feel my best.
Schedule a Girls Night
Sometimes the thing to get you feeling your best is to take an evening and spend time with your best girl friends. These evenings can look like therapy sessions with your friends or an evening full of laughter. However your night ends up, quality time with your friends is a must!
Just because you’re a mom doesn’t mean you have to give up that special time with friends. Getting out on your own and enjoying a relaxing meal with friends can be the ticket to feeling refreshed.
I try and schedule a girls dinner at least once a month. This summer instead of dinners, I have been golfing with my best girlfriends.
Whatever you and your friends enjoy, schedule an evening for some special time together!
Eating Healthy Foods
There is no denying that eating healthy helps me to feel energized. This is not always possible, and I do treat myself, but I believe if you can find a good balance of healthy food and treats you will feel great!
I have found that planning a dinner schedule on Sundays and having ingredients on hand for healthy smoothies for the week is a game changer for a busy momma.
I typically make myself a healthy smoothie in the morning, eat left-overs from dinner the night before for lunch, and cook a homemade meal that evening. This keeps me from going through a drive through during the day because I am on a schedule and prepared for the week!
Let’s Wrap Up
I have a few other “non-negotiables” to help me feel my best but these are my top 6. Do you have any health routines on your list that you can’t live without? Things that make you feel your best from the inside out? I’d love to hear about them!
Talk soon!
Merrick