As a parent, caring for yourself can be often forgotten about or put to the side. Of course, your children are your number one priority but caring for yourself is integral to your own growth and development as well as your children.
Not only does caring for yourself improve your own mental health and wellbeing but if you also teach your children to learn and understand self-care they may adopt some of these practices which can set them up with a positive outlook on life from a young age.
Self-care can be divided into two parts; physical care and mental care. It is important to do some activities to strengthen both your physical and mental wellbeing.
Let’s get physical
Exercise is often only seen as something that can improve your physical health however, it is also proven to increase dopamine and serotonin which improves your mood and overall wellbeing.
For those who work long hours or are full time parents, you may not find yourself with much time to keep fit therefore it can be difficult to give your body the exercise it needs to be happy. In this case, going for a 10km run twice a week is probably not realistic and not always right for your body of stage of life. Instead break down your active time into small chunks throughout the week. Half an hour of exercise a day is recommended but this can always be broken up into 2 x 15 or 3 x 10-minute workouts that you can work around your busy lifestyle.
Partaking in daily easy to do exercises such as going for a jog, doing some stretching or a short workout is all it takes to contribute a great amount to your mental wellbeing and self-care. If you are really struggling for time, and your children are a bit older, get them to exercise with you which can also improve both your child’s and your own social wellbeing through the development of meaningful relationships.
Train your brain
The other aspect to effective self-care involves doing activities and exercises that improve your mental health and wellbeing. Whether it’s first thing in the morning before work, during your lunch break, or just before bed, 15 minutes of meditation and mindfulness a day can help you to focus and evoke a sense of calm.
You can practice mindfulness with older children by writing down five things each of you are grateful for or doing a daily reflection.
Stress is inevitable, especially in the current state of the world, so it is important to ensure you are taking care of yourself as well as others around you. If you need help with stress management, contact us today.
