The Importance Of Self-Care While Parenting

Being a parent is a full-time occupation, leaving little room for anything else, especially self-care. But if you don’t look after yourself, how can you look after your dependants? Belle About Town teamed up with the experts at micro-learning platform Blinkist who have shared their top pieces of advice for taking care of yourself while coping with parenthood.

‘To stay mentally healthy, you should, as far as possible, read plenty of good books, make time for your own writing in some form – be it letters or a diary – and actively plan your future according to your long-term goals.’ The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey

Being a parent is an extremely busy job, however, in order to take care of yourself, you should never forget your own goals and should never stop trying to improve yourself. Each day, make sure to find even a little bit of time for yourself to reflect on your feelings and emotions – writing them down is always an effective way of sorting through the noise. If you don’t feel like writing anything down, pick up a book and read a few pages, or work on a side project you’re passionate about.

‘To live an optimal life, try not to be influenced by external rewards or the opinions of others. You can attain enjoyment in life by focusing your attention on every moment, being mindful of your environment and immersing yourself in your interests. Finally, you should never avoid facing difficult challenges, as they can lead to personal growth and achievement.’ Flow by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi

It seems that no matter what you do, people will always have an opinion on it and will always try and tell you how to do it better. It is essential that you aren’t swayed by the opinions of others, as that can send you into a negativity spiral. Instead, rest assured that you are doing the best you can and make sure to remind yourself of this on a daily basis!

‘Only the present is important because nothing ever occurs in the past or future; things happen only in a continuous stream of present moments.’ The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle

Something all of us should bear in mind on a daily basis – whatever is happening, is happening in the now, so you shouldn’t spend time worrying too much about the past or the future. This piece of advice is also applicable in both times of stress and happiness – when you are stressed, just take a deep breath and remember that the feeling will pass. Similarly, when you are happy, remember to focus on the moment and commit it to memory!

‘Minute one – sit in silence; minute two – recite your affirmations; minute three – visualise your day going perfectly; minute four – note down some things to be grateful for and what you want to achieve during the day; minute five – read two pages of a book; and finally, minute six – do some push-ups and crunches.’ The Miracle Morning by Hal Elrod

Before you enter the daily hustle and bustle, take six minutes to yourself. In the grand scheme of things, this is no time at all, but following the above steps will make you feel a lot more in control of the day ahead and significantly happier in general.

‘So, if you want to get a good night’s rest, put your computer or phone away by 9pm. Try reading a book instead!’ The Sleep Revolution by Arianna Huffington

Sleep is paramount for self-care. Just as you should take a few minutes to yourself each morning, so should you remember the importance of a good night’s sleep. Sometimes, no matter how hard we try, the day doesn’t go to plan, or small disappointments leave us feeling tired and depleted in the evening. Make sure you get a good night’s sleep for a reset, and above all, avoid technology before bedtime, to ensure your sleep is of the best quality possible.