I know, I know, another thing to add to your “to-do” list. Well, hopefully this blog will inspire you to consider why your own self-care is important. As a parent of any child, you are strapped for time, mental capacity and more. How do we get more of those things? Well… time is time. It is a great unrenewable resource that we all combat. Mental capacity is something you can tweak a bit more, which is why we are going to talk parental self-care!
Let’s take a moment to talk about why parental self-care is important:
1. We make sure our physical and mental health are being looked after. If you make time for yourself, then you overall health will improve and your mood will be enhanced too.
2. Children learn from us. If you prioritise your needs, you are showing your children how to prioritise themselves.
3. It helps to reduce stress. Our busy lives create a lot of stress, and stress reduces your physical and mental health. Parental self care can help to reduce stress and increase your resilience.
4. Relationships are foundational in all of our lives. If we want to have stronger relationships, we need to make sure we can bring our focus to everyone by recharging ourselves first.
All of the above highlight the need for parental self care, and I’m sure you’ve heard the quip “you can’t pour from an empty cup.” If you’ve heard this too much, do me a favour and actually try pouring from an empty cup, then let me how it went…
Now let’s talk a few quick ways to practice parental self-care:
- Deep breaths – this is one of the quickest ways to get a few moments peace… anywhere… anytime! Try 1 minute of slow deep breathing in and out.
- Mindfulness – this is another all-rounder – anywhere/anytime! Mindfulness is about bringing your attention to the present. Focus on the task at hand, not tomorrow and next week’s dinner!
Here are some longer ways to engage in parental self-care:
- Make time for a hobby. I’m sure you used to have “things” that you did before \
- Connect with other parents. You are certainly not the only parent out there! Connection with others is a great protective strategy against stress. Even if it’s at a quick drop-off!
- Delegate some tasks. One way to rid your brain of a few things is to delegate tasks to a partner or even pay someone to do things for you. If neither of these suit, can you try using an electronic calendar and ensure notifications are on. This can help remind you of things without having to hold it in your head.
Just remember: taking care of yourself doesn’t mean you love your kids any less. I hope you’re able to try some of these things soon!
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