As the mom of 2 young children, I have become pretty good at taking care of everyone else, but I am not always great at doing it for myself. I can go almost a whole day before I realize that I haven't drank any water. There are things that I just let slide that affect my overall physical and mental health.
Recently, I created a daily self-care checklist. I am a list person. I love lists and I love checking items off of my list. I am generally realistic about what I can achieve in a day and I find that lists are a great tool for me to use. I have a Samsung phone and the list app offers a checklist option. (My guess is that most phones have this capability.) I created a list of items that I need to do in order to practice good self-care every day. The items are simple, but the list has been a game changer for me in terms of getting my list completed.
I have been pretty good about rolling out of bed in the morning to check a few items off my list. I like to write in my journal, write down 3 things I am thankful for, drink some coffee and do a 5 minute meditation before my kids are up for the day. I am able to be a happier mom when I have started my day with some self-care. The other items are just as important and I fit them in throughout the day.
I go over my list before I go to bed and this helps me to make sure I haven't forgotten anything. I have felt my anxiety easing and I feel much more centered now that I have made my self-care a focus.
How do you practice self-care? Do you have a routine that you stick to?
