“Three Tips for Parents Who Need to Make Time for Self-Care” is a guest post.
Becoming a parent can be a big change. It will cause areas of your life, if not your entire life, to swivel on its axis and things might never be the same again – and what a scary thought that is. Many parents expect to say goodbye to their social lives, or the cleanliness of their homes, and definitely a full night’s sleep.
But things can be a little tougher when you lose time for yourself completely. Making time for yourself to practise self-care will feel next to impossible, but it is crucial that you do so. This will affect your mental health and might seep into your physical and emotional state.
There are three tips listed in this post, and all three will help parents to make more time for themselves in the name of self-care.
Prioritise Enjoyable Exercise
Although it can be difficult to make time for exercise, this is essential to keep yourself physically and mentally well as a parent. As you are responsible for another, this should be viewed as even more crucial. However, it can be difficult to allocate time in your day to exercise, and it will become a chore if you do not like the activity you select. This is why you must choose an enjoyable form of exercise, whether that is jogging, weightlifting, or practicing yoga.
The exercise that you enjoy will be easier to dedicate time towards, which means you are less likely to give up. After some time, you will begin to feel the benefits of this physical activity through the release of endorphins, reduction in stress, and enhanced sleep quality. Not only will this make you feel calm and ensure your body can cope with parenting tasks, it will also provide structure to your day, which can be a big benefit if most of your time centers around caring for your kids.
Plus, exercising is a good habit that you can pass on to your children; after all, kids do often follow their parents’ lead, especially in early childhood.
Consider the Benefits of Using Cannabis
Cannabis is a well-known way of relaxing, and some parents will consider using it for this reason. As long as it is used responsibly and kept out of the child’s hands, CBD oils, edibles, and other cannabis products can help to ease the stress of parenting and alleviate anxiety. In fact, some parents even reported that they were better parents because of their cannabis use.
Before you begin using cannabis, you must find a reputable dispensary. A good cannabis dispensary, like NYC Bud, will have a broad selection of strains as well as friendly and knowledgeable staff who can help you decide. In fact, dispensaries like this will even offer delivery to certain areas nearby, like to customers in Roosevelt Island, NY. This can be an added bonus when you are in charge of kids most of the day.
Remember to Be Kind to Yourself
There is a lot of power in being kind to yourself, and this isn’t spoken about enough. As parents, it can be easy to get caught up in your children’s lives and forget about your needs, and it can be even easier to blame yourself for any problems or inconveniences that appear. This is not healthy, however. Instead, you must treat yourself how you would a friend and meet yourself with an open heart.
Being kind to yourself can be difficult if you are not used to it. Practicing self-compassion can include acknowledging your feelings, focusing on mindfulness, and challenging negative self-talk. This will help you to treat yourself like you would a friend and understand that mistakes, even as a parent, are completely normal. It might seem like a simple version of self-care, but it can do heaps of good.
As a parent, it can be difficult to make time for self-care. Following the three tips listed in this post will encourage you to do this and make yourself a more balanced parent.
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