Busy working moms: 10 tips to stay fit and healthy

It is hard to fit everything you need to do into the day as a busy working mom. Keeping the kids on track, staying fit, and ensuring that the family has everything they need each week can be stressful. Fortunately, you can achieve all of these goals and more with the right preparation and time management.

It is best to decide on your priorities to begin with. Consider your mental, emotional and physical health goals and how you can achieve them. It can also help to ensure that your partner and other friends and family members are on board to help encourage you, offer practical support, and help out with responsibilities.

1. Make exercise a priority

If you want to get fitter, it is essential to make exercise a priority. Even the busiest working days will have gaps of at least a few minutes. For instance, you could take a walk for half of your lunch break at work or do a short exercise video at home while your kids are napping. Grabbing a few minutes of exercise here and there can all add up.

2. Get the kids active too

Another excellent way to incorporate exercise into your daily routine is to get the kids involved. Search your neighbourhood for fitness classes such as mommy and baby yoga classes that let you squeeze in a workout while engaging with your little one. You could also consider going for walks in local parks after school and work or getting bicycles for the family to use.

Encouraging healthy activity in kids is vital to set them up for long and healthy lives. So, it can have dual benefits.

3. Start small when you’re a busy working mom

As mentioned above, even small additions to your daily exercise regimen can have a positive effect. If it’s been a while since you were last active, it may help to consider starting with gentler exercises to help ease you back into it. Walking and yoga are both excellent options to help you get started on your fitness journey and ones the kids could get involved with too.

4. Keep up a good skincare routine

Taking care of your skin can not only help you look and feel amazing but can also be a crucial part of a healthy self-care routine. Getting into a habit of applying various skin care products each morning and evening can add an extra element of routine to your day and give you time to pamper yourself.

It may help to talk to a dermatologist if you have any specific skin problems you are worried about. They can advise you on different skin care products available, both medicated and not.

5. Branch out your cooking

It can be easy in a busy family home to fall into the habit of cooking the same familiar, easy meals over and over again. There’s nothing wrong with this, of course, but it can help to try new dinners to help you and your family eat healthier. You could consider choosing a vegan menu for some days of the week to add variety and healthy foods at the same time.

If you’re worried about finding the time to plan out all of these new meals, consider signing up for a meal kit subscription. Doing so can save you time on your grocery shopping and give you plenty of healthy and delicious recipes to choose from. It is worth keeping in mind that some of them are more affordable than others.

6. Know your body

It is crucial to keep an eye on your body to recognize any changes. It is a good idea to look for anything out of the ordinary, such as unexpected weight loss or gain.

It is also helpful to check yourself regularly for new moles or lumps, particularly breast lumps. If you’re unsure what a breast lump feels like, it is a good idea to do some research using articles like the ones from Ezra Scans.

7. Ensure everyone’s pulling their weight

Everyone in the home needs to pull their weight when it comes to household chores and helping you find time in your schedule for everything as a busy working mom. Of course, you will need to moderate what kind of chores you give to your kids, depending on their age. The more help around the house you get, the more time you will have to dedicate to ensuring you can practice good self-care.

8. Busy working moms: Remember to ask for help

If you’re struggling with your mental health, seeking the help of a professional therapist can be invaluable. Mental health issues can have a massive range of effects on our day-to-day life and physical health. Many people are tempted to bottle things up, particularly if they don’t feel they have the time to seek help.

It may help to consider your mental health in the same way you would consider your physical health. We attend regular checkups to keep our bodies in the best physical health, and if there is an issue, we take steps to resolve it. Mental health works in just the same way, so getting help from a therapist can be invaluable.

9. Get good sleep

Good sleeping habits are essential to help you stay healthy. To get good quality sleep, you need to stick to a good bedtime routine, including avoiding screen time before bed and having set sleeping and waking up times.

Screens can interfere with your natural sleep schedule and lead to poor quality and interrupted sleep. Screen time can also lead to eye fatigue and dryness.

For a better sleep environment, it’s a good idea to ensure that you replace your mattresses and pillows regularly too. Mattresses typically need to be replaced every eight years or so and replace pillows every two. You should do this more frequently if you notice you’re getting poor quality sleep or wake with aches and pains.

10. Hey busy working mom, take some ‘me’ time

It can be hard to find the time to take some time to yourself, but it is another thing you should try to achieve. Talk to your partner, friends, and family to see when they can take care of the kids for certain periods so that you can focus on yourself.

What you do during your alone time is totally up to personal preference. Consider going for a spa day with a relaxing massage, taking a long relaxing soak in the tub, or reading a book. What is important here is that you take that time to reconnect with yourself and relax.