Self-care – it’s the one thing working moms really could use more of but never seem to have any time for. Juggling work, family responsibilities, and our own personal lives is hard enough. When are we supposed to squeeze in self-care?
The first step to incorporating more self-care into our lives is to change the way we think about it. We often think of self-care as big, grand activities like traveling or going to a spa. Yes, those things absolutely count, but we don’t have to fly to a tropical resort to practice self-care.
We can incorporate small moments of self-care throughout the day – micro-wellness moments – to keep our wellbeing batteries charged and prevent working mom burnout. Essentially, for working moms, keeping it simple is the name of the game.
Making small upgrades or changes to the things we do every day, like showering, driving to work, and sleeping, is one way for busy working moms to get more self-care in. These upgrades don’t take a lot of time or effort, but they can have a big impact on our overall wellbeing levels.
In this post, I’ll share 13 daily self-care items (and my personal picks) that you can easily incorporate into your daily routine.
13 everyday self-care items to upgrade your daily routine
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1. Shower steamers
Taking a shower is one of the very few times I have in the day to get some actual uninterrupted time to myself. You can bet I’m going to make the absolute most out of it.
Shower steamers are a favorite of mine for turning basic showers into self-care moments. All I need to do is put them on the floor under the water stream. As they dissolve, they fill the shower with a soothing aroma. Think lavender, vanilla, mint. The calming scents combined with the sounds of the running water turns the bathroom into a little spa, perfect for decompressing at the day’s end.
My Pick: Cleverfy Shower Steamers Aromatherapy (Amazon paid link)
2. Satin pajamas
If there’s one thing I look forward to at the end of the day, it’s going to sleep. I could do that in my busted college t-shirts (if they fit), or I could opt for something a little more luxurious, like satin pajamas.
Honestly, I will relish that sweet sleep no matter what I’m wearing, but satin pajamas just make me feel a little more… put together. If you know how hectic working mom life can be (especially with young kids), you know we don’t get to feel that way very often. Gone are the days when I could stroll over to the salon on a Tuesday with my seasonal latte for a blowout and a mani-pedi – but at least I can go to bed feeling a little more poised.
My Pick: Ekouaer Women’s Classic Button Down Long Satin Silk Pajama Set (Amazon paid link)
3. A journal
The benefits of journaling for supporting our emotional and mental wellbeing are well-established. Journaling is a simple and not very time-consuming activity that we can easily do for a few minutes before bed, in the morning when we wake up, or while sipping our morning coffee.
You can use a journal to practice gratitude, reflect on positive and negative experiences, or process difficult emotions. It doesn’t have to be pen and paper either – you can use your phone, but just be mindful of the potential negative effects of blue light on your sleep.
My Pick: Intelligent Change The Five Minute Journal (Amazon paid link)
4. A light therapy box
During the cold, dark, winter months, light therapy boxes are especially useful to help give you a little morning boost. It’s normal to feel a little more sluggish in the winter because of the reduced sunlight. In fact, many people suffer with seasonal affective disorder in the winter, or experience a milder mood disorder known as the winter blues.
Light therapy boxes emit artificial light to help boost our mood and energy levels. It’s particularly effective for people with seasonal depression and clinical sleep disorders, but it can also be used in those with milder mood changes.
Use it for about 20-30 minutes in the morning after waking to get your day going and give you an energy boost.
My Pick: Verilux HappyLight Lucent – One-Touch Light Therapy Lamp (Amazon paid link)
5. Mindfulness cards
Mindfulness is a powerful tool we can use anywhere, at any time, to have a significant impact on our emotional wellbeing. We can practice it on the way to work, at work, in the shower, or even while eating a meal. Despite how easy it is to do, it does take some practice. If you’re new to it, mindfulness cards can help.
A deck of cards comes with a different mindfulness activity on each one to help kickstart your practice. I keep some in my car, at my work desk, and on my nightstand to keep me grounded as I navigate the day’s transitions.
My pick: Allura & Arcia 52 Mindfulness Cards – Stress Less, Mindful Meditation, Gratitude, Kindness, Self Care & Relaxation (Amazon paid link)
6. Sheet masks
Most of us don’t have the time (or the desire) to go through a 7-step skincare ritual after a long day of work and kids, but we still want to look our best. And when we look good, we feel good.
Sheet masks are a fun, quick, and non-messy alternative to traditional skin care routines. Simply apply it after your usual nighttime routine and peel it off when you’re ready to hop into bed – no washing off required.
My pick: DERMAL Korean Collagen Face Mask (Amazon paid link)
— Mandy Hale
7. Scented pillow spray
If falling asleep doesn’t come as easily as you’d like, you could try using a scented pillow spray on your sheets and pillows. A little spritz or two of one of these sprays before bed creates a calm and relaxing environment, which is just what you need when your mind is racing with all the mom thoughts.
As for whether aromatherapy in general helps us sleep, research suggests that certain scents – lavender, rose, roman chamomile, jasmine, cedar extract, cannabis, and ylang-ylang – can promote relaxation and lead to better sleep.
My pick: THISWORKS Deep Sleep Pillow Spray (Amazon paid link)
8. Aromatherapy diffuser
Speaking of scents and smells, an aromatherapy diffuser can be another useful addition to your daily routine. Aromatherapy diffusers spray a fine mist of essential oils mixed with water into the air. Depending on the oils you use, it can either promote a sense of calm or make you more alert.
For instance, using oils that promote relaxation at night helps to create a calming, soothing environment that’s conducive to sleep. Alternatively, using it in the morning while you’re getting ready for the day can help you wake up and feel energized. It’s recommended to turn it on for between thirty to sixty minutes to avoid overexposure and olfactory fatigue.
My picks:
- InnoGear Essential Oil Diffuser, Ultrasonic Diffusers for Home Aromatherapy Humidifier for Bedroom Room 7 Colors LED 2 Mist Mode Auto Off, Basic White (Amazon paid link)
- Lagunamoon Essential Oils Aromatherapy Set – 6 Oils for Diffusers, Home Care, Candle Making Scents, Fragrance, Humidifiers, Gifts – Peppermint, Tea Tree, Lavender, Eucalyptus, Orange (10mL) (Amazon paid link)
9. Sound machine
We’ve mentioned the power of scent for relaxation, but what about sound? Just as certain sounds can make us alert and disrupt sleep, others can actually help us relax and drift off to sleep sooner.
The research is conflicting, but for some people, different types of background noise can make it easier to fall asleep. White noise, pink noise, brown noise, and nature sounds are all examples of the type of sounds that can help soothe us into a better night’s sleep.
My pick: Homedics SoundSleep White Noise Sound Machine, Silver, Small Travel Size with 6 Relaxing Nature Sounds, Portable Therapy for Home, Office, Nursery, Auto-Off Timer (Amazon paid link)
10. Blue light glasses
Being a working mom is hard. There are days when all I can do is lie on the couch and zombie scroll my way through the night. Not only is that incredibly unproductive, it also exposes my eyes to disruptive blue light and interrupts the quality of my sleep. Blue light from screens, phones, and tablets affects our natural circadian rhythms and make us more alert (which is exactly what we don’t want when we’re trying to go to bed).
Blue light glasses can’t block out blue light completely, but they can reduce some of its effects by limiting how much of it reaches our eyes. I’m not encouraging being a phone zombie, but if you’re going to do it, at least help your eyes out a bit.
My pick: livho High Tech Blue Light Glasses (Amazon paid link)
11. Back massager
A portable back massager is one of my absolute favorite everyday self-care tools. I can plug it into any standard outlet (or even my car) and enjoy a nice mini massage while driving, watching tv, or enjoying my morning coffee. No, it’s not a 60-minute deep tissue, but it does the trick.
My pick: Papillon Shiatsu Back and Neck Massager with Heat (Amazon paid link)
12. Insulated water bottle
We can’t really talk about everyday self-care without talking about water. Water is life! If you’re still using plastic cups at your office water cooler, it’s time to upgrade your hydration habits and get an insulated water bottle. Bonus – you’ll avoid the awkward water cooler small-talk.
It all comes down to convenience – having a water bottle that you can carry everywhere and that you only have to fill up once makes it much easier to stay hydrated. They’ve also become somewhat of a trendy office accessory, with popular brands like Stanley, Owala, and Hydro Flask appearing on office desks (and even schools) everywhere.
My pick: STANLEY Quencher H2.0 Tumbler with Handle and Straw 40 oz (Amazon paid link)
13. Tea mug with infuser
An evening cup of tea is one of the best ways to wind down and relax after a long day. The soothing aroma, ritual, and natural calming properties of tea can help to calm our overstimulated nervous systems and signal to our brains that it’s time to unwind.
Having a dedicated tea mug with a built-in infuser is one small way to make evening tea time a little more convenient and special. Check out some of the best herbal teas for sleep here.
My pick: Sweese 15 OZ Porcelain Tea Mug with Infuser and Lid, Loose Leaf Tea Cup, Gifts for Tea Lover (Amazon paid link)
Sources
Suni, Eric. “Smell and Sleep: How Scents Can Afect Sleep.” Sleep Foundation, 9 Mar. 2023, www.sleepfoundation.org/bedroom-environment/how-smell-affects-your-sleep.
Summer, Jay, and Abhinav Singh. “How Noise Can Affect Your Sleep Satisfaction.” Sleep Foundation, 7 Mar. 2024, www.sleepfoundation.org/noise-and-sleep.
