Simple Self Care Ideas You Can Do At Home
Women tend to take care of everyone else before thinking about their own needs so it’s especially important for women to practice self care. Check out these simple self care ideas from real women that you can do at home.
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Self Care at Home
How’s everyone doing while stuck at home? We’ve had some great moments and some not so good ones as well.
In fact, last night I had to give myself a time-out. I grabbed some snacks and shut myself in my room for a couple of hours while my husband and son played video games and watched a movie.
A break was desperately needed. There’s a lot of pressure on parents right now to keep kids happy with stay-at-home orders in place. We’ve also become the teachers and task masters keeping kids on track with their school works.
It’s been a bit exhausting and I only have one kid! Self care is needed more than ever now. It’s important to take a bit of time for yourself during this madness to recharge. You can’t be everything all at once and keep your sanity.
For the sake of your mental health you need to be practicing self care. When I’m feeling refreshed, I can handle situations much better and my family doesn’t have to suffer through my bad moods.
First, I want to share a couple of self care ideas that have been working for me and then I’ll pass on some self care ideas from some blogger friends. It’s always great to see what’s working for others. You just might find some new simple self care ideas that you haven’t thought of before.
Simple Self Care Ideas
Here are a couple of simple self care ideas that have worked best for me. Some of these are happening with the family and that’s ok. Self care doesn’t have to be done alone. If it’s recharging you then it’s self care.
Get Outside!
While we are practicing social distancing, we are still getting outside. This has been a huge help for the whole family. We’ve been on walks around the block, bike rides, a hike, and played baseball in the field by our house.
Reading outside has also been amazing self care for me. This one combines reading and getting outside into one self care activity. You can even do this with your kids but still get some minutes to yourself.
Just set a timer for 20 minutes and everyone has to read on their own. Smaller kids can look at picture books or listen to a book on audible which is offering free children’s audio books for the next few months while schools are out.
My kiddo and I have been reading on the hammocks in our backyard and it has been so relaxing. I definitely feel refreshed after reading outside in the sun. Read more about how 20 minutes outside can make a difference plus, grab some tips for getting outside over on The Journey of Parenthood.
When you can’t get outside then make sure to open up all the windows to get some sun and a breeze flowing through the house. It’s crazy how much such a simple thing helps boost my mood.
Stay Active
While we are doing plenty of fun stuff outside there are also tons of ways to stay active inside the house too. You can start your day with a simple yoga routine or choose to do some Zumba for PE.
Fitness Marshall is our favorite You-tuber to follow for fun fitness routines. Katie put together a list of his best routines. There’s even a family friendly list so there aren’t any surprises if you try to do some dances with your kids.
There are also plenty exercises you can do at home. Check out these ten simple exercises that require no equipment.
Stay Positive
I can’t tell you how much a positive attitude can help your mental health. Plus, positivity is contagious. As the mom of the house your attitude can really change the family’s attitude so if you can stay positive then the rest of the house has a better chance of staying positive too.
Being cooped up at home isn’t exactly the best setting for a positive attitude so if you need a little help try this daily list of positive affirmations or these peace of mind quotes. You can even try these guided meditations for healing.
Start a gratitude jar. Elaina from The Rising Spoon tells you everything you need to know about the how and why you should start one. It’s not always easy to see the positives around us in a time of chaos. Looking for them and writing them down will help you see how many things you have to be grateful for.
If you need more convincing that gratitude is important then hop on over to Pink Gratitude. Once you’re there you’ll read all about the scientific proof that gratitude builds fortitude and who doesn’t need that right now.
DIY Spa Self Care Ideas
Finding ways to pamper yourself at home is a must. Luckily, there are tons of easy DIY beauty recipes you can do at home with things you can find in your pantry.
You can grab a couple of minutes at night to try one of these simple recipes or you can turn them into a little science project/spa time with your kids.
- Easy DIY Sugar Facial Sugar Scrub for Glowing Skin by We Three Shanes
- Lime Mojito Sugar Lip Scrub by This Ole Mom
- Homemade Lavender Sugar Scrub by Meraki Mother
- DIY Coconut Lime Mint Sugar scrub by Moms Who Save
- DIY Coffee Scrub Exfoliating Face Mask by Any Reason Life
- Almond Flour Exfoliating Facial Treatment by Any Reason Life
- DIY Bath Bombs For Kids (and moms) by Mom Collab
- Relaxing Lavender Bath Soak by Moms Who Save
- Orange Honey Oat Bath Soak by Moms Who Save
- DIY Shower Melt Aways by We Three Shanes
Self Care at Home
This next section is full of simple self care ideas you can do at home. These ideas come from other bloggers. I’m picking my favorite ideas from each one but if you click on the individual link it will take you to the full post were you’ll find many more ideas!
1. Waste some time!
With homeschool going on, we started our week with a schedule. That quickly got thrown out the window. We all did much better going with the flow and wasting as much time as we wanted. As moms, I feel like we go, go, go, but really we need to stop and waste some time. by Bliss Health Coaching
2. Listen to music with headphones on so you can’t hear the kids whine
While my family enjoys listening to music together, I love the idea of listening to my own music. Honestly, I never thought about throwing my headphones on. I’m definitely going to start doing this. Also, a waterproof bluetooth speaker is perfect for listening to music in the shower. by Wander Homeschooling
3. Phone a friend or relative for a good catch up.
Texting is great for quick chats, but when’s the last time you actually called a friend to talk? I bet most of us could use a friendly chat right now so call up another mom to see how they’re handling everything. by Attachment Mummy
4. Read
I already mentioned I’ve been reading outside every day but there are tons of ways you can get your reading on. We still do some family reading right before bed. My husband and I also started reading a book together one or two nights a week once the kid is in bed. by Busy Mom Smart Mom
Rebecca over at Busy Mom Smart Mom has more great ideas for things to read like checking out your horoscope or a daily devotional.
5. Ask for help!
How many of you moms are trying to do everything on your own? Sometimes I expect my partner to just step in when I’m clearly having a hard time but I need to make sure I ask for help too. If you’re a single mom then put those kids on Skype with their cousins or grandparents and go take a break while they “hang out”. by The Artisan Life
6. Do a little baking.
Baking is a great way to relax and relieve some stress. Pick something that requires some kneading so you can get a little frustration out. Or, pick a yummy treat that you can have for dessert. by The Anxious Mom
7. Get creative
Make sure to find the time to get creative. Set some time to do a craft project. This can be done with or with out kids. I have been having a great time finding fun art and music projects to do with my kid as a part of his school work. We’ve had a great time and I really do feel better after crafting. by Sustain My Craft Habit
8. Give yourself a makeover
Have you been putting makeup on why sheltering in place? I sure haven’t. Laying around in pjs all day, no hair done, or makeup on can be fun for a bit but eventually you can start to feel blah. My plan is to check out some makeup tutorials on Youtube and pick a new look to try. by Country Family Values
9. Have quiet time
Like I said before, I had to take a time out from reality for a bit. Make sure you get some quiet time to yourself. In my opinion, it’s necessary to recharge yourself so you can continue to help everyone else. by Bloggers Share
10. Start a self care box
It’s seems pretty easy to build yourself a self care box. Just fill a cute box with things that make you happy. Read more about the idea HERE. by ABC Family
11. Strengthen your faith
There are lots of tools out there to help you strengthen your faith at home. You don’t need a lot of time to read a couple of scriptures or a devotional. Check out these 3 easy things you can do to build your faith as a busy mom. by Lattes & Little Hugs
12. Get plenty of sleep
Our family sleep schedules have definitely been thrown for a loop. When we don’t have to be up for school, we end up sleeping in. The problem with sleeping in is our sleep cycles get off and we start staying up later and later. Try to stick with a good bedtime schedule so you still get all the sleep your body needs. by Collecting Clovers
13. Start a relaxing bed time routine
Since we’re talking about sleep you should check out these 5 sleep hacks for moms that will make sure you get the sleep you need. If you don’t already have one then consider a relaxing bed time routine. by Ottawa Mommy Club
14. Enjoy a treat without sharing
I’m sure we’ve all had a tasty treat saved for after the kids go to bed. Can you even call yourself a parent if you haven’t done this? Find more self care ideas for after the kids go to bed HERE. by Toot’s Tired Mom
15. Have a healthy breakfast
Everyone knows that breakfast is a super important meal but do we eat a healthy breakfast? Not always. It seems like I’ve been skipping breakfast more than ever while stuck at home. There are so many ways to enjoy a healthy breakfast and start your morning right. Grab some more morning self care ideas over at Fun Things to do for Kids. by Fun Things to do for Kids
16. Use essential oils to Relax
There are many ways to use essential oils to relax at home. Find out some of the best ways to use essential oils for self care and which oils you can use to reduce anxiety at Radha Beauty.
The Importance of Self Care
Women really need to take care of themselves. It seems like others always come first but we can’t put our best self forward if we’re not running at our full potential. Taking breaks for self care is important.
With families sheltering in place it seems like mom’s are busier than ever! If you have suddenly found yourself working from home then some of these tips on how to have a balanced work and home life could be useful.
When you’re especially feeling low then remember that all mom’s go through bad times. If you’re feeling a bit overwhelmed or invisible then definitely read THIS INSPIRATIONAL POST from Mary at Healthy Christian Home. It’s so helpful to hear about other women’s experiences and thoughts when going through similar situations.
