As a mom of 6 little kids and a business owner, time management is basically a necessary survival strategy! Without it I perish! OK, that’s a little dramatic but I definitely have had to increase my ability to manage my time as my family size, and business have grown. I wouldn’t call myself a master at time-management, but let’s just say I am an expert at failing at it! 

And that is the spirit of today’s post. Self-care and putting my own needs higher on the priority list has been on my mind a lot lately, especially after the birth of my sixth child. When my family size was smaller, and my business was younger (and maybe because I was younger!) it was easier in a way to not make myself a priority. I would kinda just tell myself to hustle harder, pull more all nighters, juggle more, and work myself to the bone until I would crash. It wasn’t pretty, and I sort of just told myself that it was the cost of doing business and being an entrepreneur.

Today, in my 30’s, with 6 little kids, with distinct personalities and individual needs, and a more mature business, I find that this strategy simply does not work anymore. I don’t like working myself to the point of exhaustion. I don’t like not being able to see my family for extended periods because I am running around doing a million things. It’s not that I am adverse to hard work- I simply want to work hard in a way that won’t leave me feeling pulled in multiple directions and completely burnt out at the end of it.

Here are a few strategies that have been working for me lately- I would love to know what works for you! 

1. Schedule self-care like a recurring appointment 

It’s as simple as the title suggests. Literally, create a block of time in your calendar, click the button that makes it a recurring appointment, and actually honour it in the same way you would honour a coffee date with a friend, a dental appointment, or other commitment that might require you to leave the kids at home.

Think of it like regular maintenance on your car, or regular check ups at the doctor- if we don’t take care of ourselves, we cannot take care of the people who matter most.

If you’re a stay-at-home mom with a bunch of kids at home and you have no idea how you would make this work, I am confident you can find a way! I share some strategies here. 

2. Make it simple

Self-care does not need to be elaborate or epic by any means. It could literally look like a nap, a quiet cup of coffee alone, or a manicure. I would suggest being really strategic with the time. In my current season of life, I have very short windows where I can truly just be a alone and relax- but boy do I ever make the most of those times of relaxation. Just keep your options simple and manageable, and don’t compare your self-care to what other people are doing! Which brings me to…

3. Stop comparing

Comparison is the thief of joy. And what does this have to do with self-care? I believe 100% self-care starts in our heads. I still struggle with comparing myself to others, but in the past I REALLY REALLY struggled. There was a time in my life where I was honestly so paralyzed at times because I was so worried about what people would think. And I would allow this negative self-talk in my head to stop me from doing things I really loved. So stop comparing yourself, and just start living your own beautiful life. 

I’m trying something new on my YouTube channel and would love to know what you think- press play below for more on this topic and I would love for you to leave me a comment! How do you practice self-care?