5 self-care ideas for effective coping

When your entire world revolves around your children, it is very easy to forget about your personal needs. Or, if you have an injury, you might even get used to a physical obstacle as you modify your routine for it. But it’s important to take care of yourself or you risk burnout and not being able to provide yourself or others the help necessary for the best life. Look after your physical and mental health by incorporating one or more of the following 5 self-care ideas for effective coping.

1. Consider long-term adjustments

If you struggle with a long-term illness or injury, consider some changes around the home. Ultimately you need to be comfortable.

After all, if you can’t get a good night’s sleep, you will feel drained and uneasy on the regular. There are high quality hospital beds for rent online, that may solve your ach and pain issues.

These beds likely a better alternative than a regular mattress and sleep setup that won’t provide you with the medical support and safety features needed if you’re a sleepwalker or have seizures. Speak to your doctor and explore the options if you think this might be a good fit at home.

2. Take a long shower

It sounds like a tiny, trivial action, but taking a long shower can instantly refresh the body and give you extra energy. Allow yourself some time to indulge in the feeling of the warm water running over your skin.

This activity is a nice treat every once in a while. Not everyday, though, please, as it’s bad for the environment and expensive.

The pressure of the shower head on a sore spot of the body can feel amazing, not to mention just having some “me time” if you’re a mom with small kids. Wash your hair, use a luxurious soap, and apply moisturizer afterwords.

Enjoy some peace and quiet during this spa-like time. Get someone to watch the kids or get up extra early to give yourself plenty of time to enjoy this little luxury before they wake up.

3. For effective coping, self-care ideas include getting out of the house

Get outdoors for some fresh air. Gardening or going for a stroll are simple (and cheap or even free) ways to enjoy the positive effects of both sunlight and being active.

If you’ve been feeling tired and overworked, stepping out of the house is a great way to refresh your day. If you’re a new mom, take your baby out in the stroller for a walk in the park.

When you’re recovering from an injury, it can be easy to stay at home and avoid social activities. But going to the gym to be around people or grabbing a coffee with friends at a local cafe is important as socializing can benefit overall well-being.

If you opt to go to the gym instead, make sure you already have the okay from your doctor for a few gentle exercises to do there. The last thing you want to risk is attempting self-care but instead worsening an existing injury!

4. Mindfulness and meditation

Taking care of yourself can be life-changing. Self-care ideas also include embracing meditation and mindfulness. These types of activities can help you feel calm and rejuvinate the mind, body, and spirit.

It’s an alternative to watching Netflix at the end of the day. Or before you read a book in bed before sleepy time.

A few minfulness and meditation activities include:

• A few yoga poses in bed
• Writing in a gratitude journal
• Tune in to uplifting podcasts
• Mindful breathing videos, like the one below

There are so many amazing apps to help you with mindfulness and meditation. Just a few minutes a day can help you to forget your worries. Breathing properly and allowing yourself to forget about your imminent problems will give you a huge sense of relief.

5. Accept help

This last one sounds easy but it’s not. Reaching out to ask for assistance, whether it’s asking someone to watch the baby for an hour or to drive you to a medical appointment, is uncomfortable for many people.

But it can really take the pressure off when you have a lot on the go. By lowering your stress levels, you can then start to recharge energy levels to take on the new day tomorrow.

So, the next time someone offers to babysit or cook dinner, say yes! I promise that it gets easier to accept help the more you do it – and, no, accepting a helping hand is not a sign of weakness.

Although you might think you can do it all, and I used to be one of those women, having a supportive team around you can really make the day easier. Going it alone can be a lonely place and others want to help you so why not let them?

Self-care ideas: List yours below!

What are some other effective coping strategies? When you need some personal TLC, what is your favorite activity?

Share ideas in the comments section here to help inspire others. Incorporating some of the above ideas into your day can help you start to whole again. Even if you only manage to do one of these ideas per week, you’ll likely notice a difference in your mood soon. Try it and see!