5 Self-Care Practices for the Burned-Out Mom

I’m so excited to partner with Vaseline® to share why practicing self-care is so important!

With a whopping 20 months into mommyhood, I am learning how important it is to take some time out for myself. We moms give of ourselves day in and day out for our kids, our family — basically everyone else — often at the expense of our own well-being. Sure, self-sacrifice goes hand-in-hand with being a parent. But there comes a time in every mom’s life, especially if you’re a stay-at-home mom, when it can all just be a little too much.

Well, two weeks ago, that was me!

Yep, I had me a bit of breakdown, y’all. There were tears. A feeling of overwhelm had set in like I’d never felt before. Real talk, I just wanted to scream.  Or run away. Okay, both.

It was not… cute!

Here are five self-care practices I put into effect immediately that I’m sure will help you if you’re a mom on the verge of losing it!

Phone a Friend

Sometimes it takes speaking with a friend to help you kinda think out loud and figure out how you can make adjustments for the better. For one thing, I realized the need to reach out to my friends more, especially in those moments when hubby is at work, I’m completely wiped and I just need to talk to another adult. 

Whether you actually call someone, text or head to Facebook, get in touch with a friend or group of friends who can relate. I received much support from my mom friends on social media and happened to receive encouraging texts from two other girlfriends, also moms, almost simultaneously. They basically helped me talk it all out and come to the realization that I could stand to make some changes to keep my sanity… like, NOW!

Get Out of the House

We love our kids but spending a whole day with them and only them every day while taking care of the home will drive any mom batty! A change of scene is absolutely necessary.

I was reminded that getting out of the house helps. Even if it’s just a quick walk to the store. The days we were able to get out for some fresh air went much smoother than if we stayed in the house all day.  Even little Micah gets excited when he knows we’re about to go out! But I also needed to take more advantage of the times my husband is home to get out by myself.

With that in mind, I made plans with a non-mom friend for breakfast the next morning. Later that day, I took advantage of the baby’s nap time, again, leaving him with hubby, to run a quick errand which… turned into me getting my hair done. HA! More on that to come but it was so needed! I was on a roll and the rest of my week would go even better!

Get Away

If you can, by all means, leave the kid(s) with someone you trust, pack a bag and go somewhere!

Hubby and I, along with five other couples, head to the mountains that very weekend for some much-needed R&R. Yes, this trip was planned way in advance but MAN, it couldn’t have come at a better time! I missed my little pooks but the freedom was refreshing. I’m hoping we’d be able to do a quick getaway every few months or so.

Beautify Yourself

Just before our trip, I decided to treat myself to a mani-pedi, something I almost never do! I had just gotten my hair done so why not complete the beautification?! Had to take the little one along but he was good and the pampering was well worth it.

Why not pamper yourself by creating your own beauty self-care routine at home!

While the kids are napping or at school, throw on some music, take a relaxing bath or a nice, long shower and massage yourself with a soothing moisturizer. One of my faves is Vaseline® Intensive Care™ Cocoa Radiant™ Lotion. I love the scent and that it isn’t overly greasy. My legs, which get especially dry during the winter, are still hydrated, soft and glowing after a full day.

Vaseline® Intensive Care™ Cocoa Radiant™ Lotion contains pure cocoa butter to leave skin deeply moisturized plus Vaseline® Jelly that absorb deeply to heal dry skin, revealing its natural glow. Grab this coupon so you can experience the benefits of Vaseline® Cocoa Radiant for yourself! 

Vaseline® is also helping those less fortunate in partnership with Direct Relief. The Vaseline® Healing Project is an aid effort to provide dermatological care, Vaseline® Jelly & medical supplies needed to help heal the skin of people affected by poverty or emergencies around the world. You can help too! Every purchase of Vaseline® lotion or jelly in the U.S. will help support Direct Relief through a buy one to help heal one promotion. Click here to learn more about the difference The Vaseline® Healing Project is making!

Ask for Help

Last but not least, I realized that I needed to ask for help more than I do. While we do sometimes take friends up on their offers to babysit, I admittedly don’t want to be a burden and have only asked if I needed to go somewhere, for a date night and, of course, for our recent weekend getaway. I almost feel just a little guilty about asking someone, even my mom, to watch the baby simply to give me a break. But not anymore!

Those who have offered have expressed that they know I need a break to recharge and take care of myself once in a while and they’re willing to help. But how will they know I need that moment if I don’t ask?

So, whether you’re a mom or not, we ALL need to make sure we’re taking care of ourselves. When we do, we can then take better care of the ones we love. Hopefully you can implement these self-care practices in your routine no matter what stage of life you find yourself. We need it!

How do YOU make sure you find time for you? What self-care practices help you keep it together?

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Vaseline® Intensive Care™ Cocoa Radiant™