Self-care, in general, is important but moms especially need to prioritize themselves and practice self-care too.

As a mother, we often end up putting everyone else’s needs before our own. But I’ve found that taking care of myself and doing things for me is not just good for my own mental health, but also for the function of my family. 

When I feel good I’m a better mom and a better wife.

Self-care is often categorized into five areas: Emotional, Physical, Mental, Social, and Spiritual.

And, it’s important to figure out what type of self-care will work best for you. 

Things like daily affirmations work well for mental self-care, but if you are in need of physical self-care they won’t do much for you. 

So, before you start implementing self-care think about what type of self-care you gravitate towards or what you need the most. 

There are a variety of basic self-care ideas out there, but focusing on something specific you can do every day or every month is a great way to kick off this new year. 

Self-Care Ideas for Moms in the New Year

If you’re ready to focus on your self-care this New Year, here are some of my favorite tips and tricks for moms to try:

#1 – Go Out Alone Once a Week

This sounds simple enough but all moms know how challenging this can be. I think it’s even harder to leave the house when you are a new or first-time mom caring for a little baby or young toddler.

But, getting out alone once a week is a great self-care idea for moms. 

You can do anything. From going to a coffee shop or walking around a bookstore or even Target. 

Or maybe you go to the gym or see a movie by yourself.

I even like to grocery shop by myself sometimes in the evening. 

My husband will put our daughter to bed and I’ll go to the grocery store and mosey the empty aisles. It’s productive and relaxing for me all at the same time.

Whatever it is you decide to do, just get out of the house and take a few hours to yourself at least once a week. 

It will make a difference in your mood and give you a bit of alone time which everyone needs at some point.

#2 – Journal

Writing is therapeutic. So journaling can be a great way to tap into your emotional, mental, and even spiritual self-care needs.

Many moms do a daily devotional of some kind or write in a gratitude journal. Some keep a diary others write articles for a blog. 

You can even write poems or short stories if that’s your thing. The main point is to write in some capacity because writing is helpful and often fun.

For me, I’ve found that even just the simple act of writing down three things I’m grateful for every day has helped put me into a more positive mindset. I focus more on the good than the bad, and I try to always remember what I have even when things are hard.

Journaling of any kind is a great self-care idea for moms and I can’t recommend it enough!

#3 – Ask for Help

Asking for help is a great self-care idea for new moms especially. 

It’s a hard lesson you learn in parenting, but you cannot do it all on your own no matter how hard you try. 

So, lean on others. Ask your spouse to cook dinner a few nights a week. Ask the grandparents to take your kids for a few hours on the weekend. Hire a maid once a month. 

Whatever type of help you need, don’t be afraid to ask for it. Help is truly one of the best things you can do for yourself. 

#4 – Clean Up Your Social Media Feed

Ahh, social media. It’s good and bad all at the same time, right? 

What’s good about it is you can connect with friends and loved ones near and far. 

But, what’s bad about social media is there are often a lot of unrealistic photos and thoughts that just make you feel like you aren’t enough, especially as a mom or parent.

Like you didn’t celebrate the holidays how you should have or you are letting your kid watch too much TV. Or, the food you feed your kid is awful. You don’t get outside enough. The list could go on and on. 

In this new year, you need to be mindful of who you follow and how those people make you feel, including your friends and family. 

So, go through your news feed and delete (or mute) anyone who brings you down. Because taking care of your mental health is one of the best self-care ideas for moms out there.

If you need some positive and “real” accounts to follow I suggest ones like @coffeeandcoos, @ordinaryonpurpose, @post.partty, or @momentaryhappiness (all accounts I personally follow and love dearly for uplifting, yet real/raw content too).   

#5 – Create a Vision Board

If you are a creative person this will probably be right up your alley. A vision board is exactly what it sounds like: a visual representation of your goals. 

Vision boards are great for self-discovery and self-care. They allow you to think about where you want your life to go or what dreams or goals you have. 

Think of pictures, words, phrases, graphics, or anything else that inspires you or helps you focus on your goal/dream.

Vision boards are great at the beginning of the year especially because you can turn your New Years’ resolution or goal into a visual guide to follow throughout the year. 

You can make a physical vision board on poster board or cork board, or you can make a digital vision board using something like Canva or Pinterest. 

After you have compiled your vision board, come back to it often. Maybe implement it into your self-care routine if you have one!

#6 – Practice Self-Care in Your Morning or Evening Routine

And that brings me to my next self-care idea for moms in the new year…make self-care a habit.

I think one of the best times to practice self-care as a mom is in the morning or evening (before the children wake up or after they go to bed). 

It can be challenging some mornings to wake up early if you aren’t a morning person, but taking 20-30 minutes to drink your coffee and journal, read, or work out can do wonders for your mental, emotional, and physical health. 

Adding self-care to your evening routine can be as simple as taking off your makeup and doing a face cleanse or face mask of some type a few times a week. 

Or, maybe you can read before you go to bed or look at your vision board if you made one. 

Whatever you decide, creating a morning and/or evening routine that you implement every day (or almost every day) is a great self-care idea for moms because you are making self-care a habit and not an afterthought. 

#7 – Try Something New Once a Month

Once you have kids it’s easy to fall into a routine. Kids like routine, parents like routine, but sometimes it can get boring quickly. 

But, trying something new once a month is a great self-care idea for moms. 

Ideas for this could be as simple as trying sushi for the first time or taking a hike in a new location. Or, maybe you’ve never done a paint and sip night (so much fun!) or you’ve always wanted to take a Zumba class. 

Maybe you’ve always wanted to try canning or baking bread from scratch. 

Whatever it is, the sky is truly the limit with this one because it can be anything you’ve never done before. And, what’s even better, is you can do it alone or with someone (even with your family if you want to!).

It’s a great, easy form of self-care and it gives you something new to look forward to each month. 

There are so many self-care ideas for moms out there and starting a new year with self-care in mind is a great personal goal. 

So take one of these ideas and put it into practice right away! Happy New Year!

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