Self-care and Covid-19

5 self-care tips for keeping your sanity during the quarantine.

There was never a time when self-care (taking care of yourself) was more important.

As moms, we tend to focus our care on our children, our husbands, our homes. We forget about ourselves.

A wise woman once told me that in order to be the best mom, wife, friend, boss that we can be, we must nourish ourselves. If we are constantly pouring out to our family and friends, then we will eventually become empty. We must pour into ourselves so that we have the energy to pour into others. This is self-care.

Self Care Ideas

Protect your mental health.

• Find a way to vent your emotions- whether you are feeling overwhelmed, frustrated, angry, sad, or any other emotion. Find a friend to speak with. If you begin to find yourself seriously depressed and having thoughts of self-harm, please call a professional. The Maternal Mental Health Collective is a wonderful resource to reach out to.
• Find a little happiness every day. Post happy pictures on your social media platforms. Read affirmations, and uplifting books. Listen to uplifting music.
• Journal- Journaling is an excellent way to express your emotions. It also helps to keep track of your daily life events. I like to do a prayer journal, and you can go back and see the prayers that God has answered. My daughter has an art journal. She expresses her feelings through drawing and painting. Others keep a thankful journal or use songs or poetry as a release.

Exercise

Exercise is an excellent way to care for yourself.

Walking is great exercise and it gets you outside. Vitamin D 🙂

If you are like me and have chronic pain issues, sometimes movement is painful. Here is a link to some gentle exercises (stretching) (cardio)

Eating Right

Eating right is essential to self-care. When you are bored or stressed, a lot of people turn to junk food for comfort. The more junk that you eat, the worse you feel, and the less energy that you have. Here are some things that you can do to feel better.

• Drink plenty of water. Water helps to flush your body of toxins and gives you energy (and a full bladder). If you get tired of water, try keeping it very cold and adding a flavoring to it. (even fresh fruit juice is good)
• Instead of chips and cookies, try eating fruits and vegetables. Hummus is a good protein-filled alternative to chips and dip.
• Limit your caffeine intake. I know this one is hard, especially for those of us who are not morning people. For every cup of caffeine that you drink, try to drink two cups of water. Keep caffeine intake to before 5 pm.

Take 15 minutes every day to do something just for you.

Find something that makes you happy.

• Listen to a song (Here is a list of uplifting songs)
• Paint your nails (How to do a self manicure)
• Read a chapter of your favorite book (10 must-read books)
• Go for a short walk. (Why walking is good for your mood)

Getting plenty of rest

It is recommended that you get 8 hours of sleep every night.

When we are worried or stressed it can become hard to get to sleep.

• Go to bed at the same time every night. Even if you are not sleepy, it gives your body a routine and eventually, your body will catch on.
• Wake up at the same time every day. This helps with the routine. So even if you did not sleep well, get up.
• Make a bed-time routine that does not include electronics. Take a warm bath, read, practice some self-care, and then rest.
• Make your room comfortable and inviting. Remove all of the stressors from your room.
• Try using scents such as chamomile or jasmine to help you relax.
• Another helpful tip is to play soft music on a timer or use a white-noise app to help quiet your thoughts.

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