40 Easy Self-Care Ideas for Moms
Check out some of the best self-care ideas for moms to help you get that much needed time for yourself! Many of these self care tips for mums don’t cost a thing!
Every mom knows about self care, but most say it is something that is a luxury they don’t have time for.
However, every mom, new and experienced need to take time for self care in order to fully give their kids their absolute best.
However, I’ve learned that you can totally practice mom self-care all throughout the day. Many of these self care ideas for mom only takes a couple of minutes at a time.
Here is your motherhood self care guide to help you learn how to give yourself time each day to be healthy and love your family life once again.
Importance of Self-Care for Moms
You’ve probably heard the term “self-care” used a lot lately. It’s become a popular buzzword in the media and in personal development circles.
However, you still may be unclear on what it means. While the concept does involve taking care of yourself, it actually goes much deeper.
Self-care covers a lot of areas with regard to caring for yourself. It involves nurturing your body, mind, and spirit.
It focuses on building yourself up so that your internal resources don’t become depleted. Essentially, self-care is being as good to yourself as you would be to someone you care about.
It requires you to show yourself some compassion and encourages you to be vulnerable with others, asking for help when you need it.
Moms need as much self-care time as possible to be able to raise their kids in the best way possible. If you are fulfilled, you are much more able to take care of your little ones.
Like the quote says, you truly cannot pour from an empty cup.
The Benefits of Self-Care for New Moms
There are lots of benefits to practicing self-care. Embracing this concept can be difficult for those who’ve always placed emphasis on the welfare of others.
However, giving all your energy to those around you without filling your own backup leaves you depleted and empty. That’s no way to live.
Instead, spending time and effort on yourself rejuvenates and energizes you. Taking time to indulge in your own interests demonstrates your worth, leading to improved self-esteem and a more positive outlook on the world.
Self care also improves your mental health better than most anything else.
It teaches you a lot about yourself and provides insight into what you need to be the best version of yourself.
Self-care helps you better cope with stress and to prioritize what’s important to you. You’ll be better able to take care of others when you also take time to meet your own needs.
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Best Self-Care Ideas for Moms
There are countless ways to add self-care into your routine. Here are some of the best self-care ideas for busy moms so you can still take that much needed time for yourself.
Most of these are free self care ideas for moms that you can even do with your kids! They are ones I actually do all the time and are very practical whether you have a baby or toddlers.
You will find most of these are also easy 5 minute self care ideas too!
1. Listen to Music
There is something so powerful about listening to music. Create a new playlist filled with some of your favorite songs, and put on your headphones and enjoy.
Even if you can only listen to one song at a time, every couple of minutes helps.
2. Dance with Your Kids
Dance your heart out to your favorite song. Make sure you get moving fully. Moving around helps release the tension from all your stress and will boost your mood.
It’s one of the best self care ideas for moms at home when they need to get a break from everything!
This is one of the self-care habits I do to help my have a better motherhood experience, especially on hard days.
3. Color
This is one you can even do with your children around as they love to color with you! Coloring is a form of art therapy that helps you release your emotions on paper.
A coloring book is one of the top mom self-care products I’ve found as it helps both you and your kids.
4. Drink Some Tea
Drinking tea is quite relaxing, and if you can’t have a warm cup in the morning with all the hustle of things, try drinking a cup right when the kids go to sleep.
My favorite is this Peaceful Mama tea. I like to drink it in the morning during my self-care morning routine as well as a night.
5. Stretch
If you are into yoga, find a new routine to try out for the day. Something as little as 5-10 minutes could make a huge difference in your day.
Even if all you can do is a few stretches right before bed, they still make a difference! This is usually what I do.
6. Do a Face Mask
Washing my face always helps to relax me, so I take that extra couple of minutes to do a full-face skincare routine for my self-care some days.
Exfoliate, do a face mask, and put on some face serum or moisturizer. You will feel like a whole new mom.
Make it apart of your mom self-care shower routine!
7. Enjoy the Little Things
Self care really doesn’t have to be on a grand scale. The tiniest gestures can be the most meaningful.
Take some time to appreciate the small things you have going on in your life. Is it when your kid smiles at you or taking a bite into your favorite chocolate?
8. Eat a Snack
Foods affect us in so many ways. Find a food you have been craving and sit down to enjoy it thoroughly. This could be some candy, dessert, or a dinner. This will make you happy as you listen to your body!
It is one of the top self care ideas for pregnant moms as snacks are much needed to get through the day!
9. Practice Affirmations
Positive affirmations are a great way to practice self-love and don’t take much time at all!
Choose 4-5 different affirmations that you want to work on and repeat them every day. Here are a few of my favorite ones:
10. Put Your Phone Away
One of the best self care tips for moms is to put your phone away. We get so easily distracted and all the time spent on social media really gets to us in a negative way.
One of the best things I did was to get off of social media; it was life changing.
11. List things You’re Grateful For
Find things each day you are grateful for and write them down in your journal. It can be as little as 3 things a day.
We usually write ours in our journal every night before going to bed.
12. Go on a Nature Walk
Nature is so grounding. Take a walk, whether that is around your house, street, or to an actual park. Deep breathe and take in the beautiful world we live in.
It is one of the self care ideas for mums who love getting out of the house. Your kids will love it!
A nature walk is apart of my self care Sunday routine too.
13. Deep Breathe
The nice thing about deep breathing is that you can do it any time of the day! Take some nice, deep breaths while you do the dishes, vacuum, or pick up your kids from school.
There are so many different breathing techniques. Find one that you love!
14. Read Some Inspirational Quotes
Check out these self-care mom quotes and feel inspired to know you are not alone!
15. Bake Cookies
Enjoy the process of baking and even if it doesn’t turn out as you want it to, be proud that you did something simply because you wanted to. That is the joy of self-care.
Invite your kids to bake with you too, unless that adds more stress to it.
16. Play with Bubble Wrap
I also make sure to have some bubble wrap in my mom self care kit. It is so relaxing and actually quite fun.
Plus, it is another self care idea you can do with your kids. Toddlers especially love this!
17. Stay Away from Social Media
Once again, get off of social media specifically. Try to go an entire day without checking it.
You will notice how much better you feel and might want to do a social media fast!
18. Journal
If you feel mentally blocked, you need to do a brain dump. When I cannot focus on anything and feel extremely stressed but can’t seem to get anything done, I know I need to just write all my thoughts, feelings, and emotions down on paper. It brings a huge relief.
Get a journal and write down how you are feeling. It is so therapeutic, even like talking to a therapist.
19. Read a Book
If you are an avid reader, take a couple of minutes to read a book! Whether it is a timeless classic you read eight times already or a new one, try to see how much you can read, even if it is only a couple of pages.
20. Massage Your Neck
Neck massages are absolutely wonderful and will help relieve all the tension you are feeling. I personally love to use my massage gun to massage my neck throughout the day.
I love that I can do it myself even if no one is around to help. It is one of the best gifts for stay at home moms.
21. Declutter
It is hard to focus or get anything done when we have too much clutter in our minds and living spaces. So, take that time to declutter a place you have wanted to for a long time.
22. Take Some Pictures
If you love pictures, take some of your kids today. If they won’t cooperate, take some of nature and the beauty around you.
23. Do Your Makeup
If you have some time, do your makeup, even if you aren’t going anywhere fancy.
Sometimes the act of taking care of yourself and getting dressed up will lift your spirit.
24. Foot Soak
A foot soak is easier to do with kids than a full on bath, so try it out. Put some Epsom salt and a few drops of essential oils and enjoy. Kids can get their own bowl and do it with you too!
25. Paint Your Nails
Another great mommy self care idea is to paint your nails. You can do this with your little girls and turn it into a spa day!
26. Add Essential Oils to Your Diffuser
One of the self care for mothers idea I always try to do is to turn on my essential oil diffuser every day.
The smells are so calming and really will pick up my mood, and it doesn’t take much time at all!
27. Take a Shower
If you can sneak away for a few minutes, trying taking a shower. The hot water is so refreshing and you will feel like a whole new mom!
28. Dry Brush
One of the top self care gift ideas for moms is a dry brush. These are incredible for your lymph nodes and is another simple act of self care you can do right before taking a shower.
29. Watch a Movie
Put on a movie that you loved as a kid and cuddle up with your little ones. Pop some popcorn and just relax together.
30. Make Your Kids Laugh
Nothing is more special than a child’s laugh. It will instantly boost your mood. If you are having a hard day, try tickling your kids and things should get better quickly.
31. Use Eye Massager
I absolutely love my eye massager and it helps me take some time for myself every day.
It releases the tension around my eyes, reduced my headaches, and relaxes me right before going to bed.
It is one of my favorite self care ideas for moms that I try to do every single day. They are pricey but so worth it to me.
Or you can get a gel eye mask that blocks out the light and helps with migraines, headaches, and more. I like to put mine in the freezer to get more relief!
32. Take Your Kids for a Drive
If you need to get out of the house, just go for a drive. You don’t have to go anywhere, just drive around until you feel more calm.
Lots of kids fall asleep in the car, so if your kids do, even better!
33. Pick Some Flowers
The act of picking flowers is quite relaxing. Do it during your nature walk with your kids and enjoy the peace and happiness they bring.
Put them in a vase when you get inside and you’ll be reminded of the joy every time you look at them.
34. Go to Bed Early
I know the alone time at night feels amazing, but going to bed early will feel incredible too. Try to do it as often as you can to feel more refreshed the next day.
35. Take Your Vitamins
How often do you forget your vitamins and daily supplements? If you are like me, most of the time.
Set a reminder to try to help you take that time to feel good every day!
36. Do a Craft
Get your kids involved and do a fun craft together. Crafting is very relaxing to most people.
37. Look Back at Baby Pictures
Sometimes after a hard day with the kids, looking at pictures of them as a baby helps. It reminds you of all the treasured memories you have and helps make things happier.
38. Eat Some Chocolate
Chocolate always makes me feel a bit better. I like to have a secret stash and slowly eat it when I am struggling.
39. Just Say No
Often as moms we are constantly taking on more than we can bear. Try saying no to something you don’t really want to do and honor yourself instead.
It took a long time but I finally was able to do this and it makes such a huge difference.
40. Do Nothing
How often do you actually sit down and simply do nothing? For ten minutes, enjoy not doing anything. Just sit there and enjoy the world move around you while you sit still.
Self-Care for Moms Wrap-Up
There you have it; 40 self care ideas for moms that are easy to do with kids around. Try out whatever ones speak out to you and be proud of yourself for taking time for yourself!
