Life-Changing Self-Care Hacks & Ideas for Parents

As busy as moms are, we need to stay on track not only for our children but for ourselves. We can't take care of them if we continuously neglect our own mental health. There is something called depleted mother syndrome which refers to mom burnout. I don't want to sound insensitive so I am going to call it parent burnout. They call it mom burnout because generally mothers are left with a lot of the burden of taking care of everything.

Depleted mother syndrome is the feeling of extreme mental, physical, and emotional exhaustion and lack of fulfillment due to intense childcare needs. The burnout is the result of all the stress and lack of coping skills to deal with it. Some of these symptoms include:

• Feeling guilty about everything

• Extreme exhaustion (mental & physical)

• Having a very short fuse

• Feeling like a failure

• Questioning your life and decisions constantly

• Neglectful behavior towards your children

• Not wanting to ask for help

• Feeling detached from everyone you care about

Basically, feeling like you have given up way too many times. I am pretty certain that a lot of us can relate to this it may even sound normal for most of us. After a pandemic and the steadily collapsing economy, this is something that is going to occur more and more often. It's up to us, once again, to take charge and make sure that we are fueling the metaphysical gas can inside all of us.

This is a post of ideas and hacks for parents to use in their self-care routines. We should all schedule at the very least one day a week for self-care! It is something that needs to be taken very seriously as parent burnout can lead to substance and alcohol abuse as it has for many others. One cup of wine to unwind can lead to an addiction that you don't even realize you have. The same goes for painkillers and other substances that were not meant to be used recreationally. If it's that bad, marijuana is not an addictive drug in my opinion. And even if you do feel it is, it has helped more people than it has hurt them (again, in my opinion).

Anyway, I hope this list helps all those needing an escape.

Self-Care Hacks & Ideas

1. Take a bubble bath after kids fall asleep

2. Read about something you enjoy

3. Vent to someone who is a good listener & won't judge you

4. Listen to your favorite music (proven to boost mood and self-esteem)

5. Have your kids do chores to help out

6. Keep a journal to help you juggle emotions (also gratitude journals and "funny things my kids say" journals are fun)

7. Positive affirmations - I cannot stress enough how much power we all have in our own lives when it comes to saying affirmations, definitely try this every day even if it doesn't seem like it's working, you are planting positivity in your life that will continue to grow the more you do it!

8. Physical exercise/yoga

9. Create boundaries with everyone (ask them if it is a want or a need)

10. Use a planner or bullet journal to plan things ahead of time

11. Practice mindfulness - this goes into the same category as the affirmations almost, focus on the here and now, and change your mindset to how you want to live your life!

12. Say no to your kids occasionally - with the right timing of course

13. Use parental control on your electronic to worry less

14. Let your kids hang out with friends (supervised) or have someone babysit (if you're lucky enough to have that)

15. Eat healthier, drink lots of water, order meals (EveryPlate, etc.), drink tea

16. Celebrate the little wins
    

17. Prepare multiple freezer meals one week at a time for one less thing to worry about (Like putting chopped veggies and whatever else you can just throw into a pan to cook in freezer gallon-sized bags)

18. Use a rolling laundry cart - great for right after having a baby so that you can have all the things you may need nearby in one spot

19. Combine self-care and 101 time with your kids

20. Accept the things you cannot change - you'd be surprised how freeing that can be after realizing the things you have been worrying about that you can't change

21. Go on a stress-free walk on a beautiful day - better yet walk in the grass barefoot, we need the energy straight from the earth to recharge, there is so much research done on this so if you don't believe me look into it!

22. Take naps when you get the opportunity

23. Cut back on screen time/unplug/disconnect

24. Split the workload with a spouse or friend

25. Date night (connect with your partner in some way, if not weekly then monthly)

26. Do something that makes you laugh (watching stand-up comedy is something we like to do, there are some good ones on Netflix but Dave Chappelle is the best by far)

27. Nurture your creativity with hobbies

28. Binge-watch some good TV shows - one of my favorite escapes

29. Treat yo self - get hair/nails done, face masks, something that will boost your self-esteem

30. Listen to a podcast/watch documentaries

31. Stretch in the morning and before bed - even if you don't do physical exercises at any point this will help you feel a little more energized when you are feeling especially tired

32. Take a class/course/learn something new

33. Spring clean/organize something - I get urges to do this which makes me think I may be ADHD

34. Buy something you want, not need - I wrote this before all the economic problems started getting worse lol

35. Schedule a "No Plans" day ahead of time for one day a week, usually on the weekend or whenever you're not working, also known as a mental health day

36. Think of three things you are grateful for and remind yourself why you are grateful for them - you should practice gratitude every day because it can change the way you feel throughout your day

37. Play games with the people you care about - laughter is the cure that corresponds to happiness

38. Meditation and breathing exercises - this can help lower blood pressure and regulate your emotions so that you can think clearly again

39. Talk to your kids about their emotions, they will feel better afterward and are more likely to ease up on you for caring so much

40. Make stress balls or play with slime or playdough - sensory input can make a huge difference in your day

41. Essential oils and candles - our senses contribute so much to our moods, mix essential oils with water to spray around the house, your environment has a lot to do with how everyone in it feels

42. Bathe with magnesium chloride - read about the benefits of magnesium chloride here!

As I said before, it is very important for us to take the time to make sure our mental health is stable enough for us to be the best parents we can be for our children. This is even more important for parents with special needs children as it is so much easier for us to get parent burnout from the extra care our kids need. Just remember you are not alone in this and that there is always someone willing and ready to listen! Take care!