There is a lot of talk about “self-care” and “filling your cup” and finding “me” time. Especially for stay-at-home parents. I mean, any human, really. But when you have a laundry list of things to do (and literal laundry), trying to fit in “self-care” time can feel like an added pressure.
And let’s be honest. Self-care for one person looks completely different than it does for another. Self-care when you have a kid (or two or three) looks completely different then when you don’t have kids or other caretaking roles. Self-care may look different in your mid-40’s than it did 20 years before.
Although “self-care” can often feel like a buzz word, it is important to ask yourself “What makes me feel good? What makes me feel refreshed? What have I done for ME today?”
For me, pre-baby, “self-care” was going to the gym, reading for long periods of time (like, more than 15 mins), attending yoga classes, doing a 1000 piece puzzle, going out for a trail run, etc. Now, with a toddler, it is actually kind of similar but in shorter chunks of time. And that has been the key for me. I can’t depend on longer periods of time anymore, but I can carve out 10 mins here, 15 mins there, 5 mins squeezed in between all the other things. I still read, I still do yoga (on YouTube), I still workout (on YouTube), I still find some pockets of quiet throughout my day. Sometimes I will go downstairs and fold laundry while my husband watches our son and spend an extra few minutes just chilling to get that down time (the secret is out, Michael! LOL)
“Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes, including you.”
~Anne Lammott
What fills your cup is different than what it is for someone else. Don’t let fitting in “self-care” time feel like a chore. Find what makes you feel good and happy and just do that.