Motherhood is a full-time job – one that requires constant, hard work. And just like any other job, it can feel quite overwhelming at times. In those moments, recharging your batteries is of the essence. The question is: How can a mom take care of herself without feeling guilty?

First things first, moms need to realize that self-care isn’t really an option but a necessity. Secondly, taking some solo time is essential not just for your physical but also your mental and emotional well-being. Finally, taking care of yourself will make you a better mom and make the journey of motherhood much more enjoyable. With that in mind, here are five simple ways you can prioritize self-care as a busy mom.

Take time to exercise

First things first, every mom needs to understand that making room in her schedule for exercising is not selfish. It’s certainly understandable why lots of moms may feel this way. Some of them may be thinking that they’ll be taking away valuable time from their little ones. Others skip or delay exercising due to the lack of time.

Whatever it is that’s holding you back from engaging in regular physical activity, now’s the time to change it. For starters, find an activity you like. It can be yoga, pilates, dancing, or simply jogging. Then, schedule your workouts. You can tackle your exercises in the morning and cross them off your checklist early on. You can also try to sneak them in during the day. As long as you get your body moving, anything goes!

Make healthier choices

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As a busy mum, it can be all too tempting to skip your workouts and reach for unhealthy foods. While they may seem convenient at times, these are bad decisions that you’ll only regret later on. Instead of letting time constraints and other factors lead you to unhealthy choices, do your best to eat healthy.

Generally speaking, this will mean filling your plate with more fruits and veggies and focusing on a wholefood diet. Aside from adding variety to their meals, moms should also consider taking digestive and immune system supplements to ensure the optimal amount of vital substances their body requires. By making healthy choices, not only will you manage to boost your own health and well-being. You’ll also be setting an example for your little ones, thus helping them start off on the right foot.

Stay connected

Once you become a mom, your new role starts to heavily impact your social life. Your priorities change, and taking care of your children begins to take up a major portion of your day. Maintaining friendships suddenly feels a lot more difficult, especially if you have child-free friends. Still, it’s important that you do your best to nurture those relationships and stay connected.

To do this, let your friends know that you need them. Be honest and open and try to prioritize them. Sometimes, that will mean reconnecting over coffee, and other times, it’ll mean talking on the phone once a week. Your non-mom friends may not be able to get what you’re going through, and that’s fine. If a friendship is meant to be, it’ll make the transition.

Don’t shy away from asking for help

One of the common mistakes moms make is try to do everything on their own. Some of them assume that others are too busy to help them out. Others feel helpless but are ashamed to ask for help thinking that it’ll make them a bad mom. The thing is, asking someone whether that’s your partner, friends, or family, to lend a helping hand can make parenthood a lot easier and smoother, especially if you’re a first-time mom. In fact, sharing the load can actually be quite empowering as it helps you be a much better mom.

Knowing when to ask for help is just as important as learning how to say no to non-essential things. If you’re feeling like certain responsibilities are adding to the burden, ditch them. Put your needs first, eliminate what’s unessential, and you’ll ward off that feeling of mental, physical, and emotional overwhelm.

Take baby steps at first

Learning how to properly manage your time as a mom and prioritize self-care can be challenging at first. This is why you want to take baby steps and do things little by little. The key to successfully juggling your responsibilities as a busy mom lies in your ability to detect small pockets of time that you can dedicate to yourself.

Even if it’s just a quick five-minute meditation or a brief yoga session, these small acts self-care all add up. Gradually increase your ‘me time’, and soon, you’ll have several hours to yourself every week.

Wrapping up

Putting yourself first when you’re a busy mom can be tough. Yet, it’s so vital to your overall health and well-being that it can not be neglected. A mom has her own needs, too, and by meeting those needs, you’ll make sure that you’re being the best mom you can be.