Many working homeschool moms worry about fitting in self care when busy. But I believe that self care is possible for even the busiest moms who work and homeschool. It’s a mixture of being practical and also having the right mindset. Let me give you some ideas that could help if you feel like you have no time for yourself.

Practical Ways to Include Self Care when Busy

Find Out Where Your Time Goes

You know how I love my time audit! I think it’s the best thing since sliced bread in terms of time management because it gives you such a solid foundation to start from. If you know where your time goes, you can make better decisions about what can stay and what can go.

If you’re spending 30 minutes mindlessly scrolling on Instagram or Pinterest, you could maybe rather go for a walk or read an inspiring book. I know it’s easier said than done! But start small, like I always say. You could:

• use a timer to stay on task
• give up social media for a while
• put your phone in another room
• turn off your notifications

Schedule in Your Self Care

If your self care has been scheduled in, you’re more likely to actually do it. I know for me, that everything that goes into my calendar, gets done. It makes me feel more organized and committed to everything that’s in there because I can see it in black and white. I also always make sure that self care time marked as unavailable so that nobody can intrude. It’s a non-negotiable in that way.

If you’re not able to schedule in 30 minutes or an hour at a time, then break it up into smaller chunks. Sometimes just checking in with yourself for a few minutes or even breathing deeply for 2 minutes can help to make the day more manageable.

Start Small but be Consistent

I love me some small consistent steps in the right direction! They’re so very powerful! I’ll use myself as an example. I used to be very ambitious when it came to working out. I’ve done two half marathons and dreamt of doing a marathon or an ultra marathon. But I could never sustain this level of time and energy. And I had months where I wouldn’t exercise at all because I was so sick of it. And I felt horrible when I wasn’t exercising!

Now I run 5 or 6 kilometers, twice or three times a week. And do 20 or 30 minutes of yoga or HIIT on the other days. But I do it consistently. I may miss a few days here or there, but I always do something in the week. And I’ve been at it for more that two years now. And the bonus is that I lost quite a lot of weight and have kept it off. No dieting, no hectic regime, no mad restrictions but just small consistent steps.

The same could work for you. You could…

• start with 5 minutes a day and then increase the time when you feel comfortable
• even start with once a week and increase the days as self care becomes more natural

Mindset Shifts for Getting Self Care when Busy

Prioritize Yourself

Once again, I know this sounds really simple. And I also realize that it isn’t. There are so many blocks that can come up from taking time for yourself. You might have been taught as a child that being selfless is a great quality. Or you might feel uncomfortable because being busy is your natural state of being. You might not like what you hear when you’re quiet.

Making yourself a priority takes practice if you’re not used to it. It can even feel wrong at the beginning. But it’s so important to overcome this. The effects can be far-reaching and serious! If you can’t manage your stress daily, you can easily become physically ill.

Another important aspect of putting yourself at the top of the list, is setting boundaries. Setting boundaries is hard. But they’re necessary if you’re going to be a happy and thriving working homeschool mom. You need to be able to take control of your time so that you can decide how you fill up your days. Once again…not easy! But you’re not being a bad person if you set boundaries. You’re being good to the most important person in your life…you!

Be Brave and Ask for Help

If you have some support, use it! I know society values busyness, hustle and being self-sufficient. But you don’t have to do it all on your own. Ask for help if you can. It’s not weak and it doesn’t make you a bad person. You could…

• ask your partner or a family member to cover you for an hour
• get your older kids involved if you have little ones
• hire a babysitter or drop your kids off at a play centre
• start a system with other homeschooling families

The video below interview psychologists about popular myths. One said that people who ask for help are not weak but actually strong! They’re aware of their limitations and are brave enough to put themselves out there. It’s such a great video. I highly recommend watching it if you’re interested in mental heath and psychology.

https://youtu.be/Ii5m8Ta1iBY