13 Ways to Invest in Yourself as a Mom

Here are ways you can add a little self-care in your daily life as a mom. These ways are super easy and will help you keep your sanity while doing all your chores and parenting every day!

I am beyond grateful to be a mom. I had some pretty significant fertility issues. For a long time, I wasn’t sure I would get to have kids.

There is not a day that goes by that I don’t remember how lucky I am.

With that said, when schools closed for three weeks because of the Coronavirus, my first thought was my kids have a better chance of surviving the Coronavirus than what may happen to them if we spend three straight weeks together.

Motherhood is amazing, but it is also hard.

It just is. It is OK to admit that.

Kids have a lot of great qualities. They are also hyper, selfish, ungrateful and require a whole lot of assistance doing just about everything. It is no surprise moms’ needs get kicked to the curb.

For a long time, I thought to do anything for myself was selfish. I work full time, so our time together is already limited. I packed way too much into each day and put myself last. In doing so, I became anxious, sleep-deprived and stressed. This did nothing positive for my patience.

The truth is, kids, want happy parents. If you are not taking care of yourself, it will affect your parenting. When you invest in yourself, you actually invest in parenting. I have definitely not mastered balancing self-care and parenting, but I always try my best.

All of this is easier said than done. But one should try, right?

Ways to Invest in Yourself as a Mom

So, here I’m sharing with you some of the ways to invest in yourself, just like I do. These are super easy and you should do them often for keeping your sanity.

Get a Hobby

Remember how you used to do stuff other than change diapers? You did. I promise. Remember what that was and do that. You may not be able to do it as much as before, but your kid goes to bed earlier than you do, right?

Also, if your kids are not really young, they do not need you to spend every single second entertaining them. In fact, it is good for them to think of something to do on their own every now and then. I’m not saying leave the house or anything, but the room is totally fine.

Even if it is just for a few minutes a day, do something that makes you feel like you. Not you as a mom, you as a person. Because, newsflash, you are a person. Do not lose your identity.

Exercise Daily

Exercise sucks, am I right, ladies? It is much more fun to watch The Real Housewives and eat Sriracha dip after the kids go to bed. Kids are exhausting. How can you possibly find the energy to exercise? But the thing is, if you don’t work out, you are going to feel worse.

Working out helps keep anxiety in check and makes you feel better about yourself. I let this slide for a long time and my mental health suffered. Find something that is tolerable for you and make yourself do it. Gyms and studios often offer childcare.

You can also try streaming an exercise class, using a treadmill or pushing a stroller outside. Set goals for yourself to help with motivation. This itself one of the ways to invest in yourself.

Try To Meditate

From the outside, I don’t really seem like someone who would meditate. I am loud, sarcastic and did not eat placenta from either of my pregnancies. I thought meditation sounded stupid, but I tried it at a particularly anxious time in my life.

It is amazing how much this helps calm me down. Even five minutes a day goes a long way. There are a ton of resources online to get you started. It is not a big-time commitment, but you may really benefit from it.

Make a Gratitude List

Along the same lines as meditation, make a list of things for which you are grateful. Think, health, family, home, etc. Refer back to this list when times get tough. Looking at the list will really hammer home how good you have it.

Eat A Well-Balanced Diet

Definitely eat some Sriracha dip, because YOLO, but throw in a vegetable every now and again too. When we are traveling and I am eating like garbage consistently, I definitely feel it. Taking care of your body is important to both your physical and mental health.

Get Some Sleep

This is at the tip-top of the easier said than done category, but it is important. Sometimes it cannot be helped, but you do need to try to prioritize getting at least some sleep. If you need help from your partner, you need to speak up.

That may feel selfish, but investing in yourself is investing in your family. Sleep deprivation takes a toll on your mood, patience and mental health. In a very sleep-deprived time in my life, I once convinced my husband our newborn son was not in his crib. I genuinely believed it for like 2 minutes until I fully woke up. He was in there. All good.

Have A Date Nights

What? I can leave the house without my kids?

How?

There are these people called babysitters. Any neighborhood social media group can recommend a whole bunch of them.

If you are in a relationship, you need to nurture it. When my husband and I get at each other’s throats, I know it is time for a date night. The kids are moving out someday, but he is not (ideally).

There is a reason so many people get divorced right after their youngest goes to college. If you are not happy in your relationship, it will affect your kids, even if you think you are hiding it from them. This is another way to invest in yourself because the more you spend time with your loved ones the more nourished the more you’re satisfied.

So, Get out and enjoy yourself.

Socialize With Others

In addition to your partner, go out with your friends every now and then. That may be going out while your partner watches the kids, or spending time with other families. You need to talk to someone who isn’t learning to tie their shoes.

You can always look for things you like doing with your kids and ask them to join you as well. This will grow your bond as well. Try making a tribe or ‘mom gang’ where you enjoy and do things you like with other moms.

Travel More

Travel both with and without the children. We have tons of special family memories from family vacations. We experience new things together and are relatively unplugged.

A change of scenery does wonders for me. I also go on an occasional girls’ spa weekend and spend a night in a hotel with my husband every once in a while. If finances are a concern, there are ways to save money on travel. Utilizing points and miles also goes a long way.

Get Some Fresh Air

If you can’t afford to travel, you still need to leave the house. I bet you can afford a trip to the park. Fresh air and sunshine do a lot for your sanity. Make it a priority to see the grass most days.

A morning walk or some time alone in a nearby park will clear your mind of all the frustration of work and daily chores eating you slowly. Make a habit of doing this in order to invest yourself and you will see significant changes in yourself as a mom.

Find Things You Enjoy Doing With Kids

It doesn’t have to be all about them. If I spent my entire playing some superhero make-believe game with my sons, I would lose my mind.

I mean, seriously, what are they even talking about? BORING.

I do this with them some of the time, but we also bust out board games which I genuinely enjoy. Find things you enjoy doing together so everyone, including you, can have fun.

Get Your Finances In Order

You know what makes you the most stressed of all? Worrying about money. Money can be tight when kids are young and both partners may or may not be working.

It may seem impossible, but you owe it to yourself and your children to figure it out. Set a budget and follow it. There are several free apps to assist you with this. Try to get all your family members on board to start a frugal lifestyle.

Learn To Say No

Are the kids getting to be too much? Are you overbooked? Within reason, step back and say no. If life is moving too fast, slow it down. It is important to note some people go too far with this.

You need to take care of yourself, but this does not give you carte blanche to become unapologetically self-absorbed and inconsiderate either. This type of behavior affects social relationships in a negative way, which causes stress in and of itself.

Try your best to honor your commitments, but don’t overcommit in the first place.

Final Thoughts

When you invest in yourself as a mom you invest in your family. If you do not feel like your own person, your relationships will suffer, your health will suffer and your parenting will suffer. Take the time to take care of yourself. Let’s not go the way of the Shining.

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