Take a Moment for a Little Self Care

Stress and endless to do lists fill our days. But as they say, “You can’t pour from an empty cup.” You need to focus on yourself, at least a little bit, in order to be your best and be able to take care of your family and friends. So today, we want to talk about doing just that with our self care checklist.

The Forever Freckled Self Care Checklist

As the leaders of our family, isn’t it important to take care of ourselves? The reality is that the more balanced and happy you are as a person, the better colleague, friend, partner, and parent you become. Your own self-care matters. You would never overlook your children’s health, so don’t overlook your own!

1. Focus on YOUR Health

Overall Health and Fitness

Maintain general health and support your immune system with vitamins and dietary supplements. Millions of Americans are at risk for vitamin deficiencies. From people with food allergies, to pregnant women, healthy adults to vegetarians and vegans, learn how vitamins and supplements help support overall wellness.

Exercise is essential to a healthy lifestyle, and there are so many ways to incorporate fitness into your daily routine. For many parents, the task of getting to the gym is daunting and inconvenient. There are incredible workouts that can be done within your house and in less than 30 minutes. It is important to set realistic goals and find something that can easily fit into your busy life.

Mental Health

Take a few minutes each day to clear your mind and de-stress. Meditation is an easy, fast, and affordable way to disconnect and recharge. Meditation has many mental health benefits and physical health benefits as well. But even simply drinking a cup of coffee in a quiet place, mentally preparing for the day ahead, will help to restore balance to your life!

2. Nurture Your Passions

A great way to restore balance to your life is by finding something you’re passionate about doing. Whether you enjoy reading a good mystery novel alone or cooking gourmet meals for your family, take time to do something you really LOVE! Pursuing your passions will recharge your mind, feed your soul, and ultimately help you stay happier and healthier.

3. Ditch the {Mom} Guilt

Why is it that from the moment you become a parent, “me time” is considered taboo? We go grocery shopping and run errands for school projects instead of pampering ourselves with pedicures and spa days. Our annual doctor and dentist appointments are no exception and begin to collect dust at the bottom of our to do lists.

When we finally do decide to take a moment for ourselves, the anxiety sinks in as we mentally take inventory of things that need to get done or feel a horrible sense of guilt that we aren’t spending every free moment with our children. There is so much to do with managing our family’s schedule, balancing work, and maintaining the household that we feel badly taking any time away from our responsibilities.

Don’t be afraid to focus on YOU. You can actually take better care of your family when you restore balance to your life and take a little time to pamper yourself. Your kids will see you being happy, healthy, and more energetic, and they will be happier in turn. Pampering yourself and nurturing your mind, body, and soul does NOT equate to neglecting your children’s needs. Let go of the mom guilt, and make time for YOU!

Final Thoughts on the FF Self Care Checklist

There are so many fast and free resources to help you restore balance to your life. “Me time” is necessary to maintaining your physical and mental health. Whether you try a quick workout video, meditation, or simply grab a cup of coffee with a friend, discover what brings you the most peace and incorporate it into your routine. So take care of yourself, and you’ll be better equipped to take care of your family!

Dr. Katie