Self-Care Ideas for Moms Who Are Stretched Thin

After having my third child, I struggled with postpartum depression and anxiety. I felt overwhelmed, isolated, and worn out. This shift in my mindset not only affected me, but it also affected my family and it set a negative tone in our home. I finally decided that enough was enough and that I had to do something to start taking care of myself so that I could properly care for my family. I saw my doctor to figure out how to control the severity of PPD. Then, I started exercising and carving out time for myself whether I was going to the coffee shop with a friend or sitting on the couch with a good book in the morning. This post is full of self-care ideas for moms that you can use to come out of your rut just like I was able to do.

Self-Care Ideas for Moms

Mamas spend practically every second of every day caring for other people and for their homes. Self-care is almost always pushed to the back burner and forgotten about because there just “isn’t enough time in a day”. I put together a list of self-care ideas that I have used to help me fill my own cup and I hope that you will benefit from some of them as well.

Before You Start

Take a few minutes to jot down the things that bring you joy, the things that bring you stress, and how you can address obstacles that are standing in the way of your self-care. You can use my free Self-Care Worksheet to help you with this step.

Physical Self-Care Ideas for Moms

Finding time for daily exercise seems can seem like an unattainable goal for many mamas. I have recently discovered a few ways to squeeze small work outs in even with attention seeking kiddos and the never-ending list of chores.

Daily At-Home Exercise

Homeschool Mom Fitness is a new program that I am loving! It is a fitness program designed by a personal trainer specifically for busy homeschooling mothers. You can complete these daily workouts all at once or separated into small chunks throughout the day. I may not have an hour or more to spend at one time on a work out, but I can spare 5 minutes 🙂

*Don’t judge my form (or the messy floor)… I’m no fitness expert… Just a mama trying to lose her love handles 🙂

Exercise with the Kids

My kids love when I turn on some music for an in-house family dance party. This gives us some great family time + a mini mama workout. They also really enjoy going for walks with me when it isn’t too hot & humid.

Refit Revolution

If you have a local Refit Revolution class, then you should definitely look into it! Refit is similar to Zumba, but the moves and songs are all clean and family friendly. Many classes allow you to bring your children and some offer free child care. The Refit classes that I have been to have ranged in price from free-$3/class. The price is set by the instructor so it varies.

Eat Well

“You are what you eat” isn’t a false statement. Eating well can help increase your overall mental & physical health. Try to fit in the recommended amounts of fruits & veggies and limit the amount of salt, sugar, and processed food that you consume.

Take Natural Supplements

This one has absolutely been the most effective step that I have taken for my physical health. My doctors never could tell me what was causing my chronic fatigue and general illnesses so I took a leap with a supplement company that a friend of mine swore by. My life changed! Once you take control of your insides, the rest will follow. You can check out the supplements that I use here. If you have questions about which ones would work best for you, I can guide you through this step if you like…just send me a message through the contact page🙂

Spiritual Self-Care Ideas for Moms

Read Scripture

I’ll be totally honest here and say that I have derailed myself from reading my Bible. I pile on the excuses and choose to do other things instead. In order to truly refill my cup, I have to get into God’s Word and allow the “living water” to fill & heal. Getting up a few hours before the kids wake has been the solution for me. Wake up, read, have some coffee, and pray before the crazy sets in.

Start Bible Journaling

Bible Journaling is a way to memorize and study Scripture while letting your creativity flow. You can add this to your morning or nap time routine.

Keep a Prayer Journal

Keeping a prayer journal provides you with a quick reference to people and situations that you want to pray for as well as things that you want to praise Him for. This comes in handy when the kids unexpectedly play quietly together and you have a few quick minutes to pray. A Cup Full of Joy members can download this free prayer journal in my Member Resource Library. If you are not a member, you can find the journal in my Etsy shop.

Mental/Emotional Self-Care Ideas for Moms

Relax and Read

My FAVORITE thing to do is wrap up in a cozy blanket with coffee and a good book while the kiddos nap or play. You should also be sure that you are getting enough sleep at night.

Listen to Podcasts

I love to turn on inspiring & educational podcast episodes while I complete housework and farm chores. My current favorite podcasts are- The Purposeful Home Podcast, A Slob Comes Clean, Wild + Free, Parenting on Purpose, God Centered Mom, North Country Farmer, and Modern Homesteading.

Color with the kids

Purchase an adult coloring book or print some free coloring pages that you can find on Pinterest. Then sit down and color with the kiddos!

Surround Yourself with Inspiration

Try to fill your home with furniture, decor, and other items that you find beautiful and inspiring. Get rid of the items that bog you down. I keep prints like this one hanging around my home to remind me of my blessings and to always seek God first.

Keep a Stress-Relief Journal

When you feel overwhelmed, write down how you are feeling. I keep a journal in my nightstand so I can get all of my negative thoughts and feelings out without going crazy.

Take a Bath

Grab a bath bomb or some bubbles, a glass of wine or tea, and a book or soft music and soak for a while.

Just be still

Sit on the porch, lie in your bed, sit in the laundry room floor… Find where you can be still and quiet for a few minutes and go there.

Take up a hobby

Find a creative outlet that refills you. For me, it is writing and caring for animals. My blogs were born out of my need to connect to the “outside world” and they have truly been sanity savers for me.

Create a Morning Routine

I am not a morning person, but I try to adhere to a morning self-care routine to start my day on the right foot. I get some basic chores done, drink coffee, read, and enjoy the quiet before the chaos of the day begins.

Create a Nightly Routine

Every night after the kids go to bed, my husband and I make milkshakes (this is probably why I need so much exercise) and we binge watch Netflix together. You would not believe how much this refills my cup!