5 Self-Care Tips for Moms. COVID Edition.

Its been a rough couple of months. Especially for moms who are now at home every day and have little option for places where they can go for some alone time. Not only that, with everyone being at home, as moms, you’re also being pulled in all sorts of different directions, filling requests for everyone else. But what about you? Self-Care has not been among the to do’s lately. Trust me, I can relate.

The truth is, I’ve never actually had a specific self-care routine, however, over the course of the last few weeks, it dawned on me. I NEED TO START TAKING CARE OF MYSELF. I mean, really start taking care of myself. Mentally, physically, spiritually and any other good ‘ally’s’ that you can think of. Someone said to me “If you don’t take care of yourself, how can you expect to effectively take care of someone else?”

And that’s the truth moms. In order for us to be able to truly take care of our loved ones, especially the little ones, we need to first practice some self-care. Your family is depending on you to always be on the top of your game. Therefore, self-care for us moms needs to be among the top priorities among our long list of ‘to-do’s.’

With that said, here are a few tips curated from my newly established self-care routine;

Establish a Skin Care Routine

In my efforts to practice self-care, number one on my list has been establishing a skin-care routine. I say ‘establish’ because I’ve never had one to begin with, mostly because I never thought that I needed one before. However, as most of you know, during pregnancy, our bodies go through a series of changes, among them are hormonal and pH level changes. After pregnancy, your body will take some time to re-adjust or return to its ‘former glory’. That is, if you’re lucky. However, if you’re like me, as it now stands, my skin has actually gotten worse than it had been while I was pregnant. I now have occasional acne, blackheads, blotchy skin, blemishes and overall, an unhealthy skin. As such, I now ensure that I take time out of my day to practice a skincare ritual.

My skincare routine now involves the use of cleansers, exfoliators, masks, serums, toners and moisturizers. I know, it sounds like a lot. But, I can honestly say that I have noticed a huge difference in the look and feel of my skin (Ask me what I Use). My skin’s texture has dramatically changed. I’m having fewer breakouts, and I’m noticing fewer blackheads. What’s even more, it has only been a couple of weeks! Most importantly is the fact that I’m feeling much better about myself and for me, that is the ultimate goal.

So, if you don’t have one already, its time that you establish a skincare routine. As they say, ‘take care of your skin and it will take care of you.’

I’m no skincare expert. Therefore, for a more definitive guide, my friends over at Within The Trend gave a Complete Guide on Skincare with Mayela. The article was written with skincare experts including dermatologists and an esthetician. Hence, you can expect a very informative as well as a factual guide on establishing a skincare routine. Go check them out!

Meditate

When I say meditate, I’m not referring to ‘kumbayah.’ if that’s your thing though, no qualms here. However, meditation for me involves spiritual meditation. Including, reading my bible, praying and just having conversations with God (still new to me). For me, this is most important, especially now when it is just so easy to not only have doubts and/or questions but also to have the fear of living in these uncertain times. It’s scary out here and this helps me to reduce my anxiety about everything. It keeps me calm. Moreover, it helps by keeping me grounded.

Another side of meditating is finding the time and a quiet place in an effort to be alone with your thoughts. This way, you can actually get the chance to explore your thoughts and/or self-evaluate. As moms, sometimes, most times, it can be extremely hard to find time for yourself. Not to mention getting the opportunity to actually Be By Yourself in itself is a struggle. IT IS A REAL STRUGGLE. You’re always needed for something or needed by someone. For once, start practising being needed by you, for you.

Engage in your favorite hobby

This might be one of the more underestimated tips to give. Heck, some may even see it as being an unnecessary one. However, take it from me, engaging in a hobby is actually an act of self-care. Usually, a hobby is an activity that one likes to do in their spare time. This activity is usually fun, relaxing or it simply just makes you feel good. Even though, as moms, ‘spare’ time is considered to be a luxury or even a near Impossibility, we need it. For me, it is watching a few minutes of YouTube videos or watching a good movie. (Finding time to draw again is on my to-do list).

I know. Some of you may not even remember whether or not you had a hobby to begin with. Not to mention finding out what it was/is. In that case, establish a new one. You’ll thank yourself later.

What better time to find a hobby than during a global pandemic? You can take it a step further too. If your children are old enough, do themselves and yourself a favor, find them a hobby too!

Exercising is Self-Care too

Yes, exercising, as draining as it may sound to some (to me) it is an act of self-care too. It doesn’t have to be a rigorous routine, just ensure that at least 15 minutes of exercise is done every day. It can include going for a walk/jog or even just riding a bicycle. Early morning exercises are best as it helps to improve your mood and gives you a much-needed boost in energy. Additionally, as you may know, exercising helps you to stay fit and healthy by helping to reduce the risk of heart disease among other things.

Exercising can be hard. Most times, even if we find the time to do it, we would prefer to do something else that we consider more relaxing. However, finding the right balance between relaxing and practising good health habits can go a very long way.

Practice Hair Care

Haircare in and of itself requires a lot. A lot of time, energy, products and even money. Haircare as a black woman, with natural hair and a young child, is a whole different ball game. Sounds like I’m being extra, but believe me, its the truth. Thus, haircare for me involved three steps. Washing, moisturizing my scalp and drying. Fancy Shmancy right? Right. I’ve now learnt that good hair and hair care requires more than that. A lot more. For this reason, I no longer see investing time and in good hair care products as being a luxury, I now see it as a necessity. Its time that you do too.

If you look good, you’ll feel good. That’s Self-Care

‘Look good, feel good.’ That’s a mantra to start paying attention to. Practice the above steps and looking good and feeling good will become a lifestyle. In addition, although some of the tips given may not directly affect your physical appearance, they’ll help you to feel good. Therefore, I’ll also say this. If you feel good, you’ll also look good.

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