38 Self Care Ideas for Moms
As a mom, I can say that self-care is sooooo important!
Avoiding and neglecting yourself from some much-needed self-care can cause mom burn out.
But when we become moms sometimes that’s the last thing on our minds. And when it IS, it seems like an impossible task that will never happen.
But self-care doesn’t have to be hard, time-consuming, or even something that you have to leave the house for!
In fact, there are some simple things that even I can manage to do with my busy schedule!
Don’t worry though!
Below I’ve gathered up a bunch of self care ideas for moms!
And don’t forget to grab your free 30 Day Self Care Challenge for Moms printable at the end of this article!
(This post may contain affiliate links which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. You can read my full disclaimer policy here.)
Self Care Ideas for Moms
Take a Bath
One of my favorite self-care ideas for moms are baths!
Baths are easy, simple, and best of all, relaxing.
You can even make it more special by bringing a speaker and playing some of your favorite tunes and lighting a candle!
So when you’re ready, have someone watch the kiddos while you take a nice long hot bath by yourself!
Get Dressed Up
If you’re a stay at home mom you may not leave the house much.
I’m a stay at home mom and pretty much LIVE in pajamas.
But one of my favorite things about leaving the house is putting on some nice clothes, doing my hair, and putting on some make-up (if I have the time to of course lol). When I do these simple things it helps give me a little boost of confidence!
I feel better about myself.
But you don’t have to leave the house to get dressed up!
You can dress up on any day! Whether or not you’re leaving the house!
Jam Out
My family and I love music!
Listening to my favorites songs while I sing along to them is always an instant mood lifter for me. Always has been.
So when the kids are done listening to Old MacDonald Had a Farm, go ahead and start your jam session!
You can also listen to music while doing other self care routines!
Do Something You Love
Have a hobby that you love doing?
What’s something you like to do?
Whether it be knitting, writing, or watching TV, let yourself enjoy this time you have to do something you love to do!
Read a Book
Like reading?
Go grab your favorite magazine or that book you’ve dying to read!
A great time to do this is at night while you’re laying in bed before you go to sleep.
Go for a Walk
Going for walks has always been a great way to help unwind my mind.
The fresh air and just being OUT doing something always makes me feel great afterward.
Plus it’s an easy exercise too!
Book a Massage
Massages not only feel good but have lots of benefits!
Massage therapy helps with pain relief, reduces stress, and promotes relaxation.
So have a couple of hours blocked off to give you some time to get a professional massage.
Get Your Nails Done
Getting a manicure or pedicure will make you feel and look great!
These treatments usually consist of nail shaping, soaking, nail polish, and a massage of the area being worked on.
But if you can’t get away and leave the house for this, you can always give yourself your OWN mani-pedi at home!
Get Your Hair Done
Who else feels totally rejuvenated when they get a fresh new do?
When I get my hair done I always feel alive and a weight is lifted off my shoulders (not to mention loving my new look)!
Whether you going to get it colored, styled, cut, or just trimmed, you won’t believe how such a simple thing can make you feel!
Give Yourself a Facial
Don’t got the time to leave the house or trying not to stick to a budget?
How about just giving yourself a facial a home!
And if you’ve never done this before then don’t worry, doing a facial is super easy!
There are so many options!
You can do a steam, scrub, a raw honey mask, or a clay mask and then moisturize at the end! Or do some kind of mixture of a few of them.
Buy Something for YOURSELF
Typically when I go out to shop it’s either for groceries or for the kids. Which I am assuming may the same for you too?
So if that is, next time you go shopping make it a shopping trip for YOU!
No food, no kid’s clothes, no diapers.
Have fun looking for something special that’s for you!
You can also shop online as well.
Do Yoga
Yoga is a super relaxing way to stretch and exercise at the same time.
Whenever I get done doing yoga I feel so much more peaceful!
And you don’t even have to attend a class (unless you want to of course)!
There are lots of different poses and videos on the internet for beginners that you can try!
Meditate
Meditating may seem unproductive since you’re just sitting there.
But meditating can be very beneficial!
Some of the benefits of medication are improved sleep, promotes emotional health, reduces stress, and enhances self-awareness.
These are all great for new moms!
You can try playing some peaceful music and meditate on your own or follow a guided meditation.
Color
Coloring can be very relaxing.
Being creative and just focusing on something you’re creating can be very soothing.
And if you’re not an expert at drawing and prefer to just color pictures there are lots of different adult coloring books to choose from!
Take a Nap
We hear this self-care tip all the time as new moms but how many of us actually listened?
Alright, Momma here it goes, once there’s a good time, whether that be when the kids are sleeping or while they’re out with Grandma, TAKE A NAP.
I don’t care what you’re doing or what needs to be done.
IT CAN WAIT.
Make getting enough rest a priority!
Sleep in
So many mornings of getting up early (not to mention all the night feedings with the baby) can get old pretty quick and drain you of energy even faster.
Not getting enough sleep can make us irritable, unenergetic, and feel even more out of it.
Plan it the night before to have your partner be the one who gets up with the kids in the morning while you sleep in!
Write in a Journal
Get a journal where you can write about your feelings, your mood, or how your day went.
Journaling can be a great outlet and help with releasing any feelings you have built up and need to let out somewhere.
There are lots of different things you can journal about too. So just write about whatever you feel like!
Spend Time with Friends
I don’t know about you but it feels like ages since I’ve just hung out with a gal pal!
Of course, it’s normal for that to happen when you have kids, work, and other priorities to attend to.
But making some time to go out for lunch, a coffee date, or to meet up at a park can be a fun way to get out of the house while spending time with a friend!
Go for a Hike
Nature is a great natural stress reliever.
Look online or ask around about any nearby trails you can explore!
Exercise
Exercising is a great way to get energized, reduce stress, improve sleep, and can even improve your mood!
Even just 30 minutes can help you to stay fit and healthy!
Stretch
I don’t know why but stretching always makes me feel good!
And stretching goes great with exercising!
Try aiming for 5-10 minutes of stretching those muscles, especially if you plan on working out!
Unplug from it ALL
You heard me. No computer, no phone, no social media, TV, nothing.
Get away from the screens to enjoy and do other things!
It can help reduce distractions, free up more time for you to do other fun things, and may even help with productivity and learning.
You can do this for a couple of hours, stop at a certain time in the evening (screen time before bed is actually said to disrupt sleep patterns and cause trouble with sleeping), or choose a certain day of the week where you stay unplugged all day!
Enjoy a Nice Warm Drink
Sipping on a nice warm tea at night or drinking some coffee in the morning can help give a nice sense of relaxation (and sometimes wake you up).
Give it a try!
Enjoy your warm beverage somewhere alone like when the kids go to bed and you’re lounging on the couch in the living room or in the morning while you’re on your porch watching the sun come up.
Go Outside
Simply going outside can do a world of wonders for your mood!
Gardening, sitting on your porch, or just relaxing in your yard is a great way to enjoy the sun and get some fresh air!
Watch the Sunset/Sunrise
Watching the sun come up can be a beautiful sight. The same goes for when you’re watching the sunset.
Get something to sit on like a blanket or a chair, grab a drink, and relax and enjoy the beautiful colors and beauty of the sky.
Ask for Help
As mothers, sometimes it’s difficult to ask for help.
It may feel wrong to ask because maybe you feel like YOU’RE the one who is supposed to do all the things and feel like a bad mom for asking.
But you’re not.
You are a GREAT mom!
Asking for help when you need it, for whatever reason, is absolutely 100% fine!
Everyone needs help sometimes!
So when you need extra help with the kids or housework, ask a good friend, family member, or your partner to give you an extra hand.
Go to Bed Early
Maybe sleeping in is more of a challenge than expected. If so then maybe going to bed early will work out better!
Have someone watch the kiddos while you try getting some extra Zs by going to bed early tonight.
Trust me, getting that extra sleep always makes me feel better in the morning!
Breathe
Sometimes doing something simple like just breathing can help.
When you’re feeling stressed, overwhelmed, or frustrated, stop, close your eyes, and take a deep breath, and just breathe.
Doing this can help you calm down, feel more relaxed, and help lighten the weight off your shoulders.
You can do this sitting down, standing up, or laying down.
Practice Gratitude
Practice gratitude.
Really savor and appreciate good things when they happen.
Every day either say or write down a few things in your journal that you’re grateful for.
This can literally be anything so don’t worry about writing down the “wrong” answer. Cause there are NO wrong answers!
Practice Self Love
Everyone has trouble from time to time with this.
Loving yourself is so important!
So practice self love every day!
Tell yourself (or write it down) something positive about yourself every morning.
Stop comparing yourself to others and forgiving yourself are also great ways to practice self-love!
Learn to Be in the Now
I have a lot of trouble with being in the present. In the NOW.
My mind is constantly thinking about work, cleaning, the kids, things I have to get done, and everything else under the sun.
And I’m sure you know exactly what I’m talking about.
Since I’m never really in the moment it gets exhausting and makes my mind feel overwhelmed and cloudy.
I…or WE need to start learning to be in the NOW and be attuned to what’s happening in front of us right now!
Try Something New
Trying things that are new is always exciting and can sometimes feel exhilarating!
So today try something new!
It could be a new hairdo, make-up style, a different flavor of coffee, or maybe a new dish to eat!
Learn Something New
Learn something new!
What’s something that interests you?
A certain crafting style? How to cook a certain food?
Maybe a new quote that you can hang up on your wall?
Whatever it is make some time to find it and learn it!
Eat Something Delicious
Sometimes you just gotta do it!
Make something (or buy) a dessert that just makes your mouth instantly water and I want you to enjoy every bite of it!
Eat Something Healthy
Eating things that are good for you and are nutritious is very important to help maintain a healthy lifestyle.
Plus when you eat something that you KNOW is good for you and the reason why it is, it makes you feel so much better!
Like yeah, I just added those flaxseeds to my smoothie to help get more omega-3s and 6s. Ooh yeah!
Not only that but eating fresh foods always make me feel good. Almost like a tiny boost of energy.
Look at the Sky
Look at the sky.
See the clouds above and just relax into the grass.
Let your mind just be free of thoughts and just enjoy the fluffy clouds!
Or find shapes in the clouds!
Look at the Stars
When I’ve needed some downtime to just be at peace, relax, and think about nothing (or to think without noise), I would go outside and stare at the stars.
Now get a chair or a blanket and look at the beautiful twinkling sky.
Look at how the moon is shaped and notice how it all comes together so perfectly.
Listen to all the sounds of nature.
Enjoy the beauty.
Enjoy the peacefulness.
Recite a Mantra
Mantras are like loving or inspirational sayings that you repeat over and over.
You can write one down and put it where you’ll see it repeatedly or recite them either in your head or out loud.
One I really like is; I have enough, I do enough, I am enough.
Why is self-care important? Why should you be doing it?
Doing self-care as a mom, and for everyone, is super important.
So many moms are going through mom burn out because of lack of self care.
Doing self-care helps promote positive feelings, can boost your self-confidence and self-esteem.
You’re taking care of these little lives and sometimes forget about yourself.
But don’t.
Your needs are important too.
Remember, self care is not selfish. It’s necessary!
It’s something that EVERYONE NEEDS and DESERVES!
You know how to take care of your kids but how you do take care of yourself?
As a mom, you may feel you have to take care of and do everything, all the time.
But you don’t.
Ask for help, take a break, and ignore the inevitable mess that never ends.
Know that it’s okay for Mom to do nothing sometimes too.
If you really want to know how to take care of yourself as a mom, you need to know that doing things that are JUST FOR YOU IS OKAY AND IS NOT SELFISH.
Let me repeat this again;
SELF CARE IS NOT SELFISH. IT’S NECESSARY.
Perhaps you need a little extra boost to help get some kind of self-care routine going.
I know all too often I say I’m going to start doing something and it never happens.
Well now with this 30-day Self Care Challenge for Moms you’ll have something that will help motivate you too!
Place this free printable somewhere you’ll see it everyday like on your fridge.
Then every day for a whole month complete one of the self-care activities listed on the sheet!
Do these in any order you want!
And most importantly, have fun with it!
You can get the download for this pdf below to get your self-care journey started today!
(Please keep in mind that I am not a therapist, doctor, nurse, or any other kind of professional. I am just a Mom who is going off of her own experiences and research. You can read my full disclaimer policy here.)
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How do you practice self-care? What is your favorite self-care activity to do? Do you have a self-care routine? Tell me about it below in the comments! And if you liked this post, give it a share! Thanks!