It’s no secret that mom life is no easy feat. No matter how many kids you have, they’ll make life hectic (in the best way!), and finding time for yourself as a mom can be hard. I truly can’t imagine my life without my kids and sometimes even have a hard time remembering what life was like pre-kids. Does anyone else ever wonder how they filled their time before kids? In all seriousness though, between making sure your kids are well fed, are learning new things, and everything in between, it can be hard to find time for yourself. This is something that I’ve been working hard on prioritizing in the last year or two and I’m finally feeling good about the balance in my life.
If you’re struggling to balance wifelife and momlife, you’ve come to the right place! Today, I’m sharing my tried and true tips for finding time for yourself as a mom.
Finding Time for Yourself as a Mom
Plan Your Day/Week
Every Sunday, I sit down and plan out each day for the coming week. This has been game-changing for managing the day-to-day and everything the kids (and I!) have going on throughout the week. Planning out your day/week will also give you the opportunity to schedule time for yourself. Whether it’s a quick manicure between errands, 15 minutes to just sit and be, or a full-on girl’s day, schedule time in for yourself at the beginning of the week so you can’t avoid it.
Get The Kids On Routine…And Stick To It
Getting the boys on a routine was one of the best things I’ve done for our family. For the most part, they know what to expect when it comes to meals, school, and playdates and it makes it easier for me to find time to work (more about balancing mom life and work here!), socialize, and do things for myself.
Set Boundaries
Whether you’re a stay-at-home mom, work-from-home mom, or work in an office setting, it can take time to set boundaries for yourself and other people. If you work from home or are a SAHM, family and friends might feel more inclined to try to make plans with you mid-week and you might feel pressured to see them. It’s great to make others happy, but you also need to manage your own happiness! Establishing a routine for your kids (and sticking to it!) and setting boundaries to help protect your physical, mental, and emotional space will help avoid feelings of burnout and resentment.
Prioritize Self Care
Prioritizing self-care to help you reset is not only going to make you feel better, but it’s also going to make you a better mom. Whether it’s getting up before the kids so you can enjoy your favorite morning beverage in silence, getting in a workout, or planning solo time with friends, schedule it into your calendar so you can’t avoid it.
Make Friends with Other Moms
There’s no better support system than other moms! Making mom friends has been one of the best thins I’ve done for myself and my kids. Not only do I have friends that understand this chapter of my life and can support me, but they’re kids are basically built-in friends for my kids. It’s a win-win! Mom friends are also super helpful when it comes to getting support if you need someone to watch your kids so you an have some time to yourself.
A few ways to make friends with other moms:
- Make small talk at school pick-up/drop-off that leads to follow-up conversations
- Use the Peanut app to “date” other moms (I’ve heard so many good things about this!)
- Join local Facebook groups
- Organize a block party for your neighborhood or kid’s school
- Volunteer at your kid’s school
- Offer babysitting to other moms
Find a Hobby Just for YOU
Before having kids, it was so easy to find and enjoy new hobbies. Since having Uriah and Ezra, a lot of my hobbies were put on the back burner but I’m working on changing that! Whether it’s a hobby you can enjoy at home like cross stitching or reading or a hobby outside of the home like tennis lessons or volunteering, find a hobby you’re passionate about that you can enjoy sans kids.
Ask for Support
I hate the saying “it takes a village” when it comes to raising kids and I hate admitting this even more, but it’s true. As a mom, finding time for yourself isn’t going to be possible if you don’t ask for help and prioritize yourself. Connect with other moms and your family/friends for the support your need whether that’s helping with pick-ups/drop-offs, watching your kids so you can have some solo time, or just lean on them for support after a long day. Having someone (or multiple people!) you can go to that just “gets it” will help with your sense of belonging and overall wellbeing.
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Phew this is so hard! I’ve been making more time for reading but aside from that self-care has gone out the window! I’m going to be more intentional about planning out my week and see if that helps me
Omg this spoke to me, as a first time mom to a 3 month old, I am going through everything you just wrote about. I know eventually I will get the hang of balancing momlife. I just love my little peanut and just like you, I can’t imagine life without him prior to him being here. Please keep blogs like this coming.
This is some really good advice. I find it hard to make friends with people outside of work. Thank you
This is very good read thank you Nitra With being a SAHM of 4 kids it can get very over whelming. I thank God 3 tare in school the whole day and I have a half day vpk er. But Iam still able to have a little self care time for myself.