10 Tips to Take Care of Yourself

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Susan here with 10 tips to help you take better care of yourself. I’m part of an Ambassador Program with OxiClean Laundry Detergent and they’re sponsoring this post to help you “take a load off” your shoulders.

As mothers we are continually pulled in different directions and stretched almost to the breaking point. We know we need to take better care of ourselves, but we still need reminders.

Here are 10 tips to take better care of yourself…

1. Simplify your schedule and write it down.
   Try to find one or two extra commitments in your schedule that you could eliminate. This year, I cut back the number of after school activities for my children and we’re all happier. If you can narrow your kids sports down to their favorite one and hopefully get all kids involved in the same sport, you’ll really be winning. Sometimes you do have to try out a few options when your kids are small to help them find their passion. For example, I was surprised that my daughter chose cheerleading as her sport, but she loves it and it’s fantastic exercise.
    
2. Clean out your closets.
   Go through your closets and donate as many clothes as you can. Focus on the positive thoughts of helping someone in need with your donation. You’ll also benefit by having a much easier time hanging and organizing your clothes. So many moms find incredible calm from following the Konmari method of decluttering.
    
3. Spend less time doing laundry.
   Use a laundry hamper with multiple sections so you automatically sort your laundry. Reduce the time you spend pre-soaking and scrubbing dirty clothes by using OxiClean Laundry Detergent. The stain fighting power will make your laundry quicker and simpler.
    
4. Listen to podcasts or audio books to engage your mind.
   Our minds are meant to be exercised. While you’re doing chores, commuting to work or exercising, listen to a variety of interviews, discussions and books. You’ll be inspired and energized.
    
5. Take your vitamins and go for a check-up.
   Consider taking vitamin supplements or using essential oils for a natural approach to staying healthy this winter. Get check-ups for yourself and your family members at your doctor, eye doctor and dentist.
    
6. Menu plan and keep meals healthy and simple.
   Planning your weekly menu can reduce stress, lower your grocery bill and help keep your family eating healthy foods. Many meals can be incredibly simple. Our most common meal, which I often use on nights I grocery shop, is a store-bought rotisserie chicken, with slices of avocado and raw vegetables.
    
7. Control your negative self-talk.
   We talk to ourselves all day long and all too often we’re filling our minds with negativity. Pay attention to what you’re saying to yourself and replace those negative thoughts with positive affirmations.
    
8. Talk to someone.
   Spend time talking about what you’re going through with a trusted friend, family member or a counsellor. I believe we can all benefit from a little therapy.
    
9. Make time to exercise.
   Finding time to exercise is a struggle for most moms… myself included. But instead of feeling defeated if you can’t make it to the gym, fit in bits of exercise throughout your day and with your kids. For example, I like to do a few stretching exercises while I sit on the floor to play board games with my kids or while we’re watching TV together. Recently I was sent a Chirp Wheel to review, and I’ve been using it almost every day since to roll out the muscles in my back.
    
10. Resist perfectionism.
    Some of us have stronger tendencies toward perfectionism than others. My mother is an extreme perfectionist and it affects her in almost every way. Even though I may not be a pure perfectionist, I still struggle at times to let “good enough” be good enough. We rarely need things to be perfect, we just need to get things done.
     

I hope these ideas help you take better care of yourself. We all know that motherhood is incredibly stressful, yet we aren’t kind enough to ourselves.

Treat yourself like you’d treat your best friend who you haven’t seen in a decade and who has flown thousands of miles to visit you.

I bet you’d pour her a cup of tea (or something stronger) and invite her to relax on the couch.

You deserve some pampering too. Consider this my virtual invitation to you for a cup of tea on the couch.

Disclosure: I am participating in a compensated Ambassador Program with OxiClean.
Written by Susan Carraretto, co-founder of 5 Minutes for Mom
Talk with me: @5minutesformom and Facebook.com/5minutesformom
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