Do you know how to take selfcare time – it’s just that you’re not sure you’re doing enough of it?
Are you secretly worried that you’re doing just enough to feel indulgent, but not enough to really matter?
Here’s how to know if you’re doing enough selfcare as a mom – ’cause if I know you, you probably worry about doing too much. (But really, that’s the *last* thing you need to be fussing about.)
Here’s what I mean.
If you’re still feeling dry – overworked – undernourished – then you’re not getting enough selfcare. Whether that’s movement, scripture time, silence, more food, hot drinks, *or* hobby time.
The point is, you need “more of” something in your day to get the “less of” worry, stress, frazzle, mommy danger zone. You know this.
What you *don’t* know is whether you’re *allowed* to take 3 hours of time off during the day, or eat a special meal in peace and quiet after your kids get done with lunch, or reserve part of the evening for your journaling practice (instead of spending it all with husband and kids).
So here’s what I want to tell you. I’m biased toward you doing that selfcare, of course, but don’t take my word for it.
Try it out.
You think you’d be really helped by an evening 30 minutes journaling practice? Then go see which half hour works best on your mental calendar, and start doing it for a week!
Is your gut feeling telling you that what you really need is better nutrition habits during the work day? Then perhaps some “mommy only” snacks and smoothies are in order.
Or what if you’re feeling like you really need some time alone with God, then some hobby time later in the day, and perhaps another block of time to chat with your mom friends. (And by chat, I mean deep, supportive conversations with each other.)
All this takes time. Go ahead and block off 3 separate chunks during your day – 30 minutes in the morning, an hour and a half after lunch, and another hour later afternoon/right before supper – and do the devos in the morning, hobby time early afternoon, and talking with friends before supper. You’ll get everything in.
If you’re still feeling dry, then you’re not getting enough selfcare.
You see? It’s okay.
Okay to take that much time “off” from your workload, okay to not spend all of your evening time with the fam, okay to have food that’s reserved for yourself and *your* nutritional needs.
It’s okay.
But the only way you’ll experience that kind of recharge in selfcare is if you actually start *doing* it. Give yourself a week, at least (2 is better).
And *then* evaluate whether that was not enough, too much, or just right for the recharge time *then*.
So don’t take my word for it – get out there and experiment.
What’s the one thing *you* were feeling a pull towards today? Which example made you go, “oh, if only, I wish”?
Try *that* one as your first 1-week experiment. You can tweak it after.
Right now, you need to start living it.
What’s your self-care experiment going to be today?
