Ever since my second year of university when I had quite the mental breakdown, I have regarded self care as an extremely important part of my life. As a university student, and after university just being sans attaché it was always easy to incorporate this into my daily routines. I love a good bath, a good walk... but even something as simple my morning and nighttime routines really helped me destress to either prepare for my day or wind down for the night.
Now, being a new mama, having these long routines has been almost impossible since I of course prioritize taking care of my son. When you are sleep deprived, and have to constantly take care of another person, it can be so easy to forget to take care of yourself. Most of the time when people envision self care they think of those long baths, etc... but it can be so much simpler than that! Here are a few super simple ways I have been able to take some time for myself the past few weeks:
1. Easy skincare
Ever since I can remember I have always started my morning washing my face and doing a full skincare routine. Though it is a simple task, it always makes me feel refreshed and ready to start my day. Nowadays, the first thing I do in the morning is change and feed Matteo. Early morning is also when he is the most awake and I want to spend time with him, so it can be difficult to fit in my whole routine, plus eat and tidy up around the apartment. That being said - I think it is important for myself to continue my routine of washing my face - I have simply reduced the routine down to much less steps. After eating, I usually put Matteo down (or pass him off to papa) for about 10 minutes where I can get a few quick things done. All I do is wash my face with a gentle cleanser and put on a moisturizer before grabbing something to eat. Though my routine is cut down from about an hour to about 10 minutes, it still helps me start my day feeling refreshed. If I want to treat my skin - I also like a good leave on mask, especially the Summer Fridays Jet Lag mask which I am able to just leave on in replacement of my moisturizer!
2. Going for a walk
I will be honest, being a new mama it can be nerve-wracking to take the little one out. I am a chronic worrier, and sometimes that can get in the way of getting outside for some fresh air and exercise. Thankfully, Matteo loves being in his stroller, and something as simple as going for a walk around the block can help me take some time to myself - or some time to call a family member to chat, both things that personally make me feel a lot better (and more like myself again!).
3. Being honest with myself
This may be a little less obvious, but sometimes difficult one. I think an important part of self care is really being honest with yourself and knowing what you can handle. I am both an overachiever and a perfectionist - so it is really easy for me to take on too much at once, or not ask for any help. I think the most important thing (especially when recovering from childbirth) is to be able to say "okay, I need some help with this" or "okay, time for mama to take a nap"! Instead of trying to push through my exhaustion to get a million things done, I think having even a short nap sometimes helps me stay productive and to be able to be a good and present mama for Matteo. So many people are willing to help out, and sometimes it is just a matter of me letting go for a moment and asking someone to help me out while I catch up on some rest. Pushing yourself beyond what you can handle may only make things worse!
As always, I hope this helps, or at least inspires some of you to take a few minutes out of your days for yourselves! xo
- Alix
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