How Parents Can Fit Self-Care Into Their Schedules & Budgets

Parenting is hard, expensive, and busy work. Any given day might feature a to-do longer than most people are even awake. Moreover, most of those to-dos boil down to keeping the house together and making life better for your family — there’s usually not much time left over for self-care. Not to mention, most self-care suggestions are costly. When it’s down to a manicure or school supplies, school supplies are bound to win every time.

Unfortunately, neglecting self-care can do serious damage to your health. Not only can it make you moody and low-energy, but the accumulated stress can start to have ramifications on your physical well-being. The good news: With a little bit of creativity, there are plenty of ways to incorporate self-care into even the busiest schedules and tightest budgets.

A Great Night’s Sleep

Many people don’t get as much sleep as they ought to — for parents, it can be even harder. One study found that new parents don’t get their old sleep schedule back for six years after their child is born. Sleep deprivation can lead to more stress, foggy thinking, weight gain, and other health issues, so getting good shut-eye is pretty important.

If you’re not sleeping as well as you’d like, try to improve your sleep hygiene. Simple things, such as stopping screen time an hour before you head to sleep and avoiding doing work or watching TV in bed can make a huge difference in your sleep quality.

Saying ‘No’

When it comes to parenting, there’s often a lot of pressure to say “yes” to everything. Any sports team your kids can join or after-school hobby they can pick up seems as important as the last — and of course, they come with snack days, events, and parties that you have to make happen.

An important self-care tool as a parent is learning how to juggle when to say “no” to these things. It doesn’t have to be that your kid can’t join the marching band, but don’t be afraid to decline when you’re asked if you can help distribute the uniforms. All jobs do not have to be your job, and finding balance is important for staying on top of the things you have to do.

Soothing Your Stomach

One kind of self-care you might not have considered is focusing on proper nutrition. Eating the right foods might be even more important than you realize. Beyond simply keeping trim and getting your vitamins, you also have your gut microbiome to think about. More and more research is coming out linking a healthy gut biome to mood, energy levels, and overall wellness.

Add some healthy microbiome-focused choices to your grocery lists, such as yogurt, sourdough bread, and almond milk. You can make some gut-positive swaps, such as getting pickles instead of potato chips and dark chocolate instead of cookies. These small changes shouldn’t break the budget and will keep your gut (and you!) happy and healthy.

Adding in Little Joys

One of the best ways to fit self-care into your budget is to sneak it into things you already do. If you wear gloves when you wash the dishes, take a quick minute before you start to put on hand lotion. The gloves will make the lotion take longer to evaporate, so you finish with smooth skin.

No time for a long, scented bath? Make some inexpensive and easy shower fizzes and drop one into your next shower. No time to sit down with a good book? Borrow some audiobooks from your local library and have something read to you while you go about other tasks.

Self-care can seem like an unattainable luxury, but it doesn’t have to be. These simple things can leave you soothed, refreshed, and ready to take on all the challenges — and reap the rewards — parenting has to offer.

written by: Ms. Campos

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